Crosses honour Kiwis killed at Passchendaele

Hundreds of white crosses have been placed on the banks of the Avon River to mark the 100th anniversary of one of the deadliest battles of World War 1.

White crosses commemorate the Kiwis killed at Passchendaele.

On 12 October 1917 843 New Zealanders were killed when an assault on the tiny Belgian village of Passchendaele went badly wrong.

Within the first few hours of the attack the New Zealand Division suffered 2700 casualties. The casualties at Passchendaele amounted to six per cent of New Zealand’s total casualties during World War 1.

Next Thursday the men who lost their lives in that battle will be honoured at with a special parade and memorial service organised by the Christchurch Memorial RSA.

The parade will begin forming on the Hereford Street bridge at the north end of the Park of Remembrance at 10.40am and will march to the Bridge of Remembrance at 10.50am through the Park of Remembrance where 843 Fields of Remembrance crosses and poppies have been set out.

The parade will be led by a detachment of the NZ Army Band and members of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Trust on horseback.

The remembrance service will begin at 11am and will include placing of wreaths.  The public are welcome to attend.