National Army Museum (New Zealand) facts for kids
The National Army Museum (also known as Te Mata Toa) is a special place that tells the story of the New Zealand Army. It's located in the small military town of Waiouru, right on State Highway One. The museum looks like a strong fortress, complete with a bridge and a moat, making it quite impressive! It first opened its doors in October 1978.
This museum acts as a memorial to remember all the brave New Zealand soldiers who have served or are still serving, and those who gave their lives for their country. It also helps people learn about New Zealand's military history. Visitors can explore real-life stories and experiences, discovering how these events shaped the nation. The museum has cool things like a gift shop, a café, a research library, and a special memorial called Tears on Greenstone. You can see many different collections, including weapons, military vehicles, and displays about important battles. There's even a huge collection of medals! For younger visitors, "Kidz headquarters" offers fun learning activities.
Contents
Tears on Greenstone: A Special Memorial
The Tears on Greenstone, or Roimata Pounamu, is a very large wall made from beautiful greenstone. It's a memorial for more than 30,000 service members who bravely sacrificed their lives. Water gently flows down this huge greenstone structure, representing endless tears of remembrance. An audio system plays the names of those who have passed away. There's also a touch screen nearby where visitors can search for names of soldiers lost in battle and hear them read aloud.
Kippenberger Research Library: Discover History
The Kippenberger Research Library holds many collections about New Zealand's military past. This library is open to everyone and is free to visit. It's named after Major General Sir Howard Karl Kippenberger, a famous military leader and historian. He fought in both World Wars and his studies of past battles helped him lead New Zealand troops. A large collection of military books once owned by Sir Howard is now part of this library. His daughter, Mary Weston, officially opened the library on March 24, 1995.
Medals: Stories of Bravery
The museum has a large and amazing collection of medals. These medals have been donated, loaned, or acquired from the families of soldiers who served overseas. There are five main displays you can see:
- British Campaign and General Service Medals.
- Campaign and General Service Medals given to New Zealanders.
- United Nations and Commemorative Medals.
- Foreign Medals.
- Medals for Meritorious Service, Long Service, and Efficient Service.
The museum also has temporary displays that change regularly, showing different family-donated medals.
Medal Recovery: A Story of Return
In December 2007, some valuable medals were stolen from the museum. These included nine Victoria Crosses, which are very special awards for bravery. Also taken were two George Crosses and an Albert Medal. However, in February 2008, the New Zealand Police announced that all the stolen medals had been found and returned to the museum! This was great news for New Zealand's history.
Some of the important Victoria Crosses that were stolen and then recovered included those belonging to:
- Brigadier Leslie Andrew, awarded in 1917.
- Sergeant Keith Elliott, awarded in 1942.
- Captain Samuel Frickleton, awarded in 1917.
- Sergeant John Gildroy Grant, awarded in 1918.
- Sergeant John Daniel Hinton, awarded in 1941.
- Sergeant Alfred Hulme, awarded in 1941.
- Major Reginald Stanley Judson, awarded in 1918.
- Lieutenant Colonel Harry John Laurent, awarded in 1918.
- Captain Charles Upham, who received both the Victoria Cross and a bar (meaning he earned it twice) in 1941–42.
Two George Crosses belonging to David Russell and Ken Hudson, and an Albert Medal belonging to Randolph Ridling, were also recovered.
