Armistice Day Essay

 

Armistice Day is a very important part of a New Zealander’s life; many New Zealand troops gave their lives to the cause. In this essay I will follow two very brave and courageous men that have made me very proud to be a New Zealander.

Keith Park: Keith Park was the only World War 1 ace from New Zealand. He flew the new Bristol Fighter, one of the first Bristol Fighters to be used which would have been a great honour for a New Zealand pilot. He achieved the Military Cross for “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty” He also achieved the “Distinguished Flying Cross” and the French “Croix De Guerre”. He was flying in the 48th squadron in La Bellevue in France then he was promoted to Temporary Captain on the 11^th of September following an incredible display of skill and courage after shooting down an enemy aircraft and causing the destruction of 3 others with Arthur Noss as his gunner (Arthur who later died after being shot down by an enemy aircraft in a separate plane.) Keith Park showed great courage and bravery to be able to win not one, not two, but three medals for his show of skill as the pilot of the Bristol Fighter Plane. At the end of World War 1 his total tally for aircraft claims was five destroyed and 14 (one shared) “out of control”. Keith was shot down twice during this period. When World War 2 started he was offered a position as Commander of No.11 group R.A.F flying a Hurricane fighter plane.

Keith Park is an important New Zealander as he was awarded not one, not two but three medals for his courage and bravery fighting the German, Austria/Hungarian and the Ottoman Empire planes, planes such as the Fokker D.VII and the Fokker E.I. Keith is an inspirational pilot who probably will have inspired many other young pilots and most likely the pilots under his command in World War 2 that’s right he survived World War 1 and fought in World War 2 as the Commander of the number eleven group in the R.A.F in his Hurricane fighter plane his nickname was ‘The Defender Of London’ and there has even been a statue of him placed in Waterloo Place in London, the city which he bravely defended during World War Two.

Bright Williams: Bright was born in Rissington north of Napier. While he was working as a shepherd on a farm in the Hawk’s Bay he said he was three years older than he really was to be able to sign up for the army. In nineteen seventeen he was in the front lines in Belgium working as a runner for the 3^rd Battalion New Zealand Riffle Brigade in Messines before getting wounded in the Battle of Passchendaele.  He and his officer tried to move forward in front of a German machine gun post at Wolf Farm and they both got sprayed with machine gun bullets. (ouch) Bright’s officer was killed in seconds however, miraculously, Bright survived. He spent the night in a muddy, dirty shell hole with only rats and German corpses for company one of the bullet wounds shattered his thigh. He was found in that dirty shell hole in which he fell and was sent home immediately after treatment as his injuries were too severe for him to continue fighting in the war that was supposed to be the war that ended all wars. He went home to farming in Hawkes Bay however he was troubled by his injuries until the day that he died which was on the 13^th February 2003. Bright lived until he was 105, he was the last New Zealand veteran and the last surviving soldier from New Zealand. 100,444 New Zealand soldiers travelled to war and he was the last one remaining this it’s self must have been a great honour. He was awarded the Legion D’honneur by the French president for his courage and bravery in the battle for Passchendaele every forgien soilder that survived the battle was awarded the Legion D’honneur as 16,700 New Zealand troops died there the most troops that died in a single battle in New Zealands World War 1 history.

Bright Williams is a great man and coming from New Zealand accomplished amazing feats of bravery, courage and honour although I’m pretty sure his amazing feats would have been considered honourable in any country. Bright will have inspired many troops that fought in World War 1 and 2 to more courageous and honourable feats. This inspirational man will be fondly remembered by all New Zealanders as the sole surviving veteran from New Zealand.

So now I will bring this essay to a close. We have looked at two very inspirational men from New Zealand and the feats of courage, bravery, honour and skill they have shown us over their very long lives. One shooting down enemy planes from his own glorious mount the other running to bring the most urgent messages from one end of the battle field to the other then assaulting an enemy machine gun post with his officer and getting mortally wounded in the attempt to secure a vital area of the battle field. These men have inspired me and hopefully they will have inspired you and hopefully you will remember these men for the rest of your lives knowing what they have done to glorify New Zealand and the people that reside upon this glorious land.