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France: 6 November 2004
The Handover Ceremony for the Unknown Warrior took place on Saturday
6 November 2004 at the New Zealand Memorial near the village of Longueval,
France.
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| The French bearer party rehearse arriving
with a casket at the handover ceremony. |
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Expatriate NZers look on as the ceremony
begins. |
The ceremony marked the official return of the Unknown Warrior from the
care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission into the care of New Zealand.
It was witnessed by representatives of the French and New Zealand governments,
including the New Zealand Ambassador to France, His Excellency Adrian
Macey, Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson, and President
of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association, Mr
John Campbell. The Mayor and villagers of Longueval, who have come to
regard the Unknown Warrior as one of their own, also attended the ceremony.
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| The Catafalque Guard stands in position
flanking the casket of the Unknown Warrior. |
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Local children lay wreaths at the base
of the Longueval New Zealand Memorial. |
Mr Richard Kellaway, Director-General of the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission made the formal handover on behalf of the Commission to His
Excellency Adrian Macey, New Zealand Ambassador to France, on behalf of
the people of New Zealand.
Following New Zealand's formal acceptance of responsibility for the remains,
Principal Defence Chaplain, Colonel Julian Wagg conducted a short service
during which wreaths were laid, the Ode to the Fallen read by RNZRSA National
President John Campbell and the Last Post sounded.
Menin Gate
On the eve of the Handover Ceremony, the New Zealand Ambassador to Belgium,
His Excellency Wade Armstrong, lead the delegation at the Last Post Ceremony
at the Menin Gate, Belgium, that is held every evening at 8.00pm.
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| NZ delegation gathered at Menin Gate
Memorial for the Last Post Ceremony on 5 November 2004. |
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Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal
Bruce Ferguson, lays a wreath on behalf of the NZDF. |
The Unknown Warrior is one of over 250,000 New Zealanders who served
in overseas wars. He is one of 30,000 who died in service. He is one of
over 9000 who have no known grave or whose remains could never be recovered.
The remains were chosen by the Commission from Caterpillar Valley War
Cemetery, an area where the greatest number of the various New Zealand
regiments and battalions are known to have fought. As the soldier's name,
rank, regiment, race, religion and other details are unknown, he represents
and honours all New Zealanders who became lost to their families in war.
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