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Back to NewsroomThe New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata
Just a hundred kilometres north-east of Villers-Bretonneux lies the fortified town of Le Quesnoy. The town may not be familiar to Australians, but its fate was nonetheless closely linked to that of the ANZAC soldiers, as it was the New Zealanders who liberated the town after four years of German occupation. Today, the New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata tells this incredible story.
History
Situated close to the Belgian border, the town of Quesnoy has always been considered a place to be defended, and although its first ramparts appeared as early as the 12th century, it was mainly thanks to the architect and engineer Vauban that the fortifications were restructured and strengthened under the reign of Louis XIV. When the First World War broke out three centuries later, the German army quickly took possession of the town and its ramparts, giving them a place of safety in an almost impregnable fortress, far behind the German lines.
With the town falling under German control in August 1914, the occupants suffered the privations of occupation for most of the war. As the Germans retreated in the final months of the war, the Allies, and more specifically the New Zealand Division, arrived at the foot of the town’s imposing fortifications on 4 November 1918. Retrenched behind these walls, the German troops were determined to hold on to their positions.
While the Allied artillery could easily have destroyed the fortifications, the aim was to cause as little damage as possible to the local population. The New Zealanders therefore decided to adopt a more subtle method, igniting petrol to create a smoke screen, and attempting to scale the ramparts using ladders. Most were too short to clear the final brick wall, and three of the four ladders were destroyed in unsuccessful attempts to scale the ramparts. The last ladder, used on a raised, recessed ledge, finally enabled the New Zealand troops to enter the town.
Once inside the city walls, it was only a matter of time before the New Zealanders routed the German troops, who were gradually outflanked on all sides. Nearly 2,000 German soldiers surrendered, and the town’s 1,600 or so French inhabitants were liberated without civilian casualties. To this day, the story of the town’s liberation remains fresh in the minds of the people of Le Quesnoy, who still maintain a close friendship with New Zealand.
The Museum
Since 2023, the New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata has been telling the great story behind the close Franco-New Zealand friendship, as well as commemorating the nearly 12,500 New Zealanders who served on the Western Front during the First World War.
Set in the city’s former police station, the museum offers an immersive experience based on a combination of cinematographic, sensory and emotional elements, immersing visitors in the narrative, sculptural works, soundscapes and projections.
The ground floor offers visitors the chance to discover the story of the liberation of Le Quesnoy, including the story of daily life during the 4 years of German occupation, including the arrest of the mayor Achille Carlier, unjustly accused of having hidden wounded Allied soldiers. In an adjoining room stands ‘The Giant Soldier’, a large statue of a New Zealand soldier, depicted seated, with a face that is a mixture of hope, relief and melancholy.
In the centre of the building, a ladder – Te Arawhata in Maori – pays homage to the ladder used by New Zealand troops to cross the ramparts, and accompanies visitors upstairs, where they can reflect on things from a higher perspective.
Useful information
Opening hours from 1 April to 31 October: Wednesday to Sunday, 10.30 am to 6 pm.
Opening times from 1 November to 31 March: Wednesday to Sunday, 9.30am to 6pm.
Admission: Adults €15 / Seniors €12 / Young people (aged 6-18) €8 / Free for under 6s.
Address: 18 rue Achille Carlier, 59530 Le Quesnoy, France.