Alexander Turnbull Library, War History Collection DA-03290

Unidentified members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on the waterfront in Trieste, 4 May 1945. Taken by Official War Photographer George Kaye.

19 May 2005

Veterans begin Pilgrimage to Trieste

On Saturday 21 May Our Heroes Trust will depart Auckland with 150 World War II veterans and their families on the start of a Remembrance Pilgrimage to northern Italy to commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe. They will visit Milan, Udine, Trieste, Venice, Rimini, Forli, Faenza and San Marino. The will be welcomed to the city of Trieste. The veterans will be honoured for their efforts in the city so long ago. Il Piccolo, the Trieste newspaper, has run a wonderful article detailing the visit and it is expected that the citizens of Trieste will come out in force to welcome the veterans.

Latest News

21 May 2005
World War 2 veterans head for Italy (Otago Daily Times)

17 May 2005
Old soldiers returning to battlefields (Ashburton News)

Get involved

While the Our Heroes Trust has been desperately collecting funds from companies, private individuals and friends to pay for 50 veterans and supporting medical people they still require funds. The Trust needs your help.

Please send cheques made payable to:

Our Heroes Charitable Trust
PO Box 429
Christchurch

or make an automated donation on 0900 437 637

Related links

Our Heroes Trust
www.ourheroescharitabletrust.co.nz

Il Piccolo (Trieste newspaper)
www.ilpiccolo.quotidianiespresso.it

Trieste memories of Private Reg Minter (NZhistory.net)
www.nzhistory.net.nz/Gallery/italy/trieste.html

Trieste references in the Official History of NZ in WWII (NZETC)
www.nzetc.org

Online database of heritage images (National Library of NZ)
timeframes1.natlib.govt.nz

In Brief
The Itinerary is available here to download:

Itinerary
(1.5mb PDF document)
Requires Acrobat Reader