Children's War

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People at home closely followed the war’s progress, especially with so many
loved ones away. They read articles in their local newspapers (many of which had
been censored). They got letters and postcards from the soldiers themselves, which
had also been checked by the authorities. And they scanned the lists of casualties that
were published each day and discussed the telegrams that could arrive at any time.
Because war was everywhere, it was impossible to keep children from hearing
about it. Besides, most of them were directly elected. Countless fathers, brothers,
uncles, and cousins had been shipped overseas as soldiers – and children had gone
to the wharves and railway stations to wave goodbye. These men were oƞ en gone for
several years. One in Ɯ ve of them would never come back.
In the beginning, people were excited about the war, especially many young
men, who saw it as the chance for a great adventure. The recruitment of soldiers
began straight away – and although the New Zealand government had oƛ ered eight
thousand men to Britain, within just four days, fourteen thousand had volunteered.
Most thought they’d be home by Christmas. But they weren’t – the war dragged on.
For many New Zealanders, 1917 was a turning point. The war was at a stalemate,
and the flood of men eager to what had reduced to a trickle. The previous year, the
government had been forced to introduce conscription. Then came the horror of
Passchendaele, when more than eight hundred New Zealanders were killed in a
single day. Morale plummeted – for both soldiers and civilians – and people became
despondent. The enormous death toll was more and more diƛ icult to justify.
The government wanted people to stay positive about the war, even children.
It wanted people to see the war as a joint eƛ ort – and for those back home to believe
that the sacriƜ ces were worth it. Women kept busy fundraising and organising care
parcels for soldiers. Children were expected to be good for their mothers – and be
useful. It was their duty to help win the war. They were even encouraged to see
themselves as soldiers of the British Empire, just like their fathers at the front.