Text title: New Zealand's ‘blackest day’ at Passchendaele
Text type: Article
Text creator: New Zealand History
Text purpose: To inform viewers about what happened in Passchendaele that made it New Zealand's blackest day.
Date: 15 March 2021
In whose interest is this text?
This text interests viewers who don't know or want to know about the war in Passchendaele (31 July 1917 - 10 November 1917). This is an informative text on what happened before, during and after the war. Basically, it was a war fought between the Allies and the German Empire. The death numbers of New Zealand were greater than any other war, due to the mistake of communication and proper preparation, in which the British Empire had heavy casualties.
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| Soldiers pictures during the First World War's battle at Passchandaele. Credit: PA Credit: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/happened-battle-passchendaele/ |
When the New Zealanders began advancing on the 12th October 1917, the thick mud made it almost impossible to bring weapons and heavy guns forward or to stabilise those who were forward.
New Zealand had suffered a great loss in men due to the battle. Over 5,000 New Zealand men did fighting in the Battle of Passchendaele, which affected New Zealand people greatly. The New Zealand population of just over a million at that time was decreasing at a high rate because of the war alone.
The Britsh Empire (ANZACs, Canadians, French and Indians) won the battle, however, there was no gain in which the British took.
