Dates and programmes for key New Zealand domestic and overseas commemorative ceremonies that were marked during the First World War centenary from 2014 to 2018.
National commemorations
The major national commemorations held in New Zealand were:
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4 August 2014: Commencement of war - Wellington and main centres
Download the official programme (PDF, 2.5 MB)
Watch the centenary of the commencement of war ceremony on YouTube -
29 August 2014: Capture of Samoa - Auckland/Samoa
Download the official programme (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Watch the service on YouTube -
16 October 2014: Centenary of the departure of the Main Body of troops and 1st Reinforcements
Download the official programme (PDF, 360 KB) -
18 April 2015: Opening of Pukeahu National War Memorial Park
Download the souvenir booklet from the Park's opening (PDF, 3.9 MB) -
25 April 2015: Centenary of the ANZAC landings in Gallipoli - Wellington
Download the official programme (PDF, 3.5 MB) -
8 August 2015: Chunuk Bair centenary - Wellington
Download the official programme (PDF, 6 MB) -
18 September 2016: Marking the centenary of the First World War in France - Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, Wellington
Download the official programme (JPEG, 1.71 MB)
Watch a live stream of the War in France ceremony on Facebook -
7 June 2017: Messines centenary - Wellington
Download the official programme (PDF, 1.67 MB)
Watch a live stream of the Messines centenary ceremony on Facebook -
12 October 2017: Passchendaele centenary - Wellington
Download the official programme (PDF, 15 MB)
Watch the live stream of the Passchendaele centenary ceremony and Belgian Memorial unveiling on YouTube -
31 October 2017: Battle of Beersheba centenary - Wellington
Download the official programme (PDF, 8 MB)
Watch a live stream of the Battle of Beersheba centenary ceremony on YouTube -
4 November 2018: Centenary of the liberation of Le Quesnoy
Download the official programme (PDF, 2 MB)
Watch a live stream of the Liberation of Le Quesnoy centenary ceremony on YouTube -
11 November 2018: Armistice - Wellington
Download the official programme (PDF, 35 MB)
Watch a live stream of the Armistice Centenary National Ceremony, or the highights of the ceremony on YouTube
National commemorations held overseas
New Zealand national commemorations that were held overseas:
- 25 April 2015: Anzac landings at Gallipoli - Turkey
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8 August 2015: Battle for Chunuk Bair - Turkey
Download the official programme (PDF, 2 MB)
Watch the Chunuk Bair centenary service on YouTube -
15 September 2016: Battle of the Somme - France
Download the official programmes for the dawn service (PDF, 13.7 MB), national commemoration (PDF, 6 MB) and the sunset ceremony (PDF, 13.7 MB)
Watch recordings of the Somme centenary dawn service, national commemoration and sunset ceremony on YouTube -
7 June 2017: Battle of Messines - Belgium
Download the official programmes for the national service (PDF, 13.8 MB) and sunset ceremony (PDF, 9.38 MB)
Watch recordings of the Messines centenary national service and sunset ceremony on YouTube -
12 October 2017: Battle of Passchendaele - Belgium
Download the official programmes for the national service (PDF, 1.5 MB) and the sunset ceremony (PDF, 523 KB)
Watch recordings of the Passchendaele centenary national service and sunset ceremony on YouTube -
31 October 2017: Battle of Beersheba - Israel
Download the official programme for the national service (PDF, 1.5 MB)
Watch a recording of the joint Australia-New Zealand Beersheba centenary service and 360 video of the New Zealand national ceremony on YouTube -
4 November 2018: Liberation of Le Quesnoy - France
Download the official programmes for the national service (PDF, 4.5 MB) and Last Post ceremony (PDF, 434 KB)
New Zealand was also involved in a range of other commemorations, including the departure of the Anzac convoys from Albany in Western Australia in October 2014. New Zealand was also officially represented at other nations’ centenary ceremonies and other centennial events.
Get background information about these events
View a timeline of New Zealand and the First World War