They Answered the Call – 1914 – CHB in WWI Exhibition

CHB Settlers Museum project to commemorate the 100 years of WWI

This exhibition was supported with grant from the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board

New Zealanders volunteered in their thousands to take part in World War I, and in Waipawa a new exhibition gives an insight into life before, during and after the war, with a focus on the Central Hawkes Bay men and women who took part.

The exhibition opened on Sunday 3rd August when 180 people filled the CHB Municipal Theatre for speeches and the music of WWI before heading over to the Museum to view the exhibition display.

The exhibition space has been transformed into a military zone with displays ranging from a life-size sandbag trench to a separate theatre to show general footage from the BBC documentary “The Great War”.

It has been more than a year in the planning, and there is a huge amount of information and military memorabilia on display provided by local RSA as well as private collectors.