Enlisting Memories

Christchurch war historian Dr Frank Glen is searching for letters, documents and medals from the war fought by Bendigo volunteer soldiers between 1860 and 1872 across the Tasman against Maori tribesmen. Glen — who is the author of Australians at War in New Zealand: New Zealand Land Wars, 1860 – 1867 — regards as significant the involvement of Bendigo’s volunteers because of their number. Of the 2400 enlisted volunteers from Australia, more than 120 were enlisted from Bendigo. Of the 22 killed in action, at least five were from Bendigo. “The Bendigo men ought to be recognised locally at the war memorial as being among the first Australian colonials to have died in a war of Empire keeping the peace and restoring political stability to New Zealand,” Glen said.