Anzac Day has now passed in New Zealand — but in the small French town of Le Quesnoy, the official commemoration service will take place on Sunday.
Le Quesnoy was liberated by New Zealand soldiers on November 4, 1918 after four years of occupation by Germany. No civilians were killed, and the town wasn't destroyed.
This sparked a deep gratitude from locals, which has remained to this day.
More than 100 Kiwi soldiers were killed in the wider Le Quesnoy area.
There are street signs with references to New Zealand, ferns grow next to the city's namesake oaks, New Zealand flags hang next to French flags over the Anzac period and every year locals remember what was done to help free them.
"When a New Zealander walks in the street of Le Quesnoy — people usually say, 'if he meets anybody and they will notice he's a New Zealander, he will immediately have a new friend'," Jean-Philippe Froment, president of the association Le Quesnoy – Nouvelle-Zélande told 1News.
Dave Bethwaite makes a very special trip to retrace his father’s steps in a small French town, reports Europe Correspondent Kate-Nicol Williams. (Source: Seven Sharp)
An Anzac Dinner hosted by the New Zealand Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata will bring 150 locals and New Zealanders together on Saturday evening (Sunday morning New Zealand time) to strengthen the friendship, reflect on both Le Quesnoy and New Zealand's experience in World War I and listen to performances from Ngāti Ranana London Māori Club and London-based Kiwi soprano Alexandra Francis.
"In a time where these stories are more relevant than ever, with what's going on around the world in terms of conflict, it really is one of our missions to keep this story alive and to learn from it for the future," museum project manager Jacob Siermans said.
Other events held by the museum included tours of Te Arawhata and the ramparts, a film screening of Sir Peter Jackson's They Shall Not Grow Old, a service at the cemetery where 50 New Zealand soldiers are buried and a Last Post ceremony on Friday evening.
The New Zealand Division’s efforts on November 4, 1918, including advancing 10km and capturing 2000 German soldiers, was their most successful day on the Western Front, according to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage — Manatū Taonga.
The Kiwi soldiers were engaged in intense gunfire with the German soldiers guarding Le Quesnoy since 5.30am.
Several attempts to enter the medieval walled town had failed with Germans fighting back — all but one of the ladders the Kiwi soldiers had been using were destroyed.
But around 4pm, there was a chance to gain entry.
With fellow soldiers steadying the ladder, Second Lieutenant Leslie Averill was the first to climb, unsure what would greet him when he reached the top. The 21-year-old shot at two German soldiers who were fleeing the scene.
The liberation of the town was underway.
Hamilton man Paul Clark is visiting the town for the first time, bringing the war medals of his grandad Horatio.
He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his 'most conspicuous courage and good work east of Le Quesnoy' on November 4.
"It's really hard to put together because I knew my grandad. I was eight when he passed away and he was such a loving, caring koro (Māori for grandfather) and to think as a 20-year-old he had to find that courage... yeah just incredible," Clark said.
Dave Bethwaite is visiting Le Quesnoy from Nelson with his wife Glenys to retrace his father’s footsteps.
Mac Bethwaite joined the war at just 18 years old and fought on the Western Front as part of the field artillery. He didn’t enter Le Quesnoy, instead deploying weapons in the lead-up to weaken the enemy.
The day after the liberation, he was seriously wounded in Mormal Forest when a German shell struck, killing the horses he was watering.
"He never spoke about it, he never spoke about it to me," he said.
"If those horses hadn't sheltered Dad the way they did he'd be gone, I wouldn't be here, my family wouldn't..."
Dave Bethwaite is 73 years old and only found out his father fought in the Le Quesnoy area in recent years because of his older brother’s research.
Mac Bethwaite died aged 69 when Dave was just 13 years old.
"I had a train set and I used to model things with plasticine on the train carriages and blow them up.
"Dad was just sitting there and he never said a thing about it. It had to have had some effect."
Visiting the forest, where he was wounded, provided an experience of connection and deeper understanding to what his father experienced in the war.
"When I first came to this place I felt very emotional. I've released that emotion now, I feel more at peace."
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