Today in History

1918 Armistice Day

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month marks the moment when hostilities ceased on the Western Front in 1918, with the signing of the Armistice. In 2004 an Unknown New Zealand Warrior from the First World War was laid to rest at the National War Memorial.

The signing of the Armistice between the Allies and Germany was celebrated in many cities and towns around New Zealand. Enthusiasm was dampened, though, by the ongoing impact of the influenza pandemic then ravaging the country. A premature report of the Armistice declaration published on 8 November added to the general sense of uncertainty about celebrating the official announcement.  

Despite the difficult circumstances, thousands of New Zealanders took part in or watched Armistice parades on 12 November, the day the official announcement was published here. Brass bands and elaborately decorated floats led the way as returned soldiers, schoolchildren and crazily costumed performers marched along main streets carrying banners and flags. Public officials gave earnest speeches and crowds gathered to celebrate the end of four long years of war.

Auckland was the exception. Here the acting Chief Health Officer, Dr Frengley, postponed all official Armistice celebrations in a bid to stop the further spread of influenza. Frengley had been alarmed at the large crowds which had gathered after the premature declaration of 8 November. Despite these precautions, 1128 Aucklanders died from the influenza pandemic. Auckland eventually celebrated the Armistice in mid-1919.  

1942 Troop ship Awatea goes down fighting

The Union Steam Ship Company’s sleek 13,482-ton trans-Tasman liner Awatea, launched in 1936, was one of the finest and fastest ships of its size in the world at the outbreak of the Second World War. Like many merchant vessels, the liner – and its civilian Merchant Navy crew – was pressed into wartime service.

Painted grey and fitted with defensive guns and anti-mine paravanes, the Awatea delivered New Zealand and Australian air trainees to Canada, shipped 2000 Canadian troops to Hong Kong, evacuated civilians from the Philippines and Singapore, and carried several thousand Free Polish troops from India to South Africa. During these missions the ship narrowly escaped a German U-boat attack in the North Atlantic and was involved in three collisions with other vessels. It also suffered a smallpox outbreak that killed two crew members.

On 8 November 1942 the Awatea took part in Operation Torch, the successful Allied invasion of Vichy-French North Africa. After landing 3000 commandoes near Algiers, it ferried other troops further to the east. On the night of 11 November, off Bougie (Bejaia), the Awatea was attacked by swarms of German and Italian bombers. Although its gunners shot down several planes, the Awatea was set on fire and holed by torpedoes. Remarkably, everyone on board got off safely (except for the ship's cat, which was apparently killed by a bomb blast). It was a sad end for a ship that has often been described as the finest ever to fly the New Zealand flag.

Image: Rescue of crew from the Awatea