2013 Trans Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge

Easter Weekend brings with it the beginning of April, which also means that ANZAC Day is drawing ever nearer.

 This is the day, that is a national day of remembrance for Australian and New Zealanders who died during armed conflict.

Do you have a story to share about an ANZAC? We'd like to hear about not only their sacrifice, but the way it shaped their family history. Maybe you want to blog from the perspective of those that were left behind?

Your story doesn't have to involve a serviceperson who lost their lives - during times of war, all sorts of loss unfortunately are experienced. 

 And you can write about those who served in other wars.

To participate:
  • Write a blog post about an Australian or New Zealander serviceman or woman's family, and the impact war had on their family history
  • Post a comment with the URL to your blog on the comments section of this page. Or if you don't have a blog then email us your story at kintalk@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
  • Publish your post by 25 April 2013.
After ANZAC Day, all submissions will be listed in a summary posting on Auckland Libraries' Kintalk blog.

Just to get you started, recommended resources for New Zealand and Australian research, see the Auckland Libraries Digital Resources. 

Access great online resources: 
Coming Home virtual exhibition 
The virtual exhibition consists of "albums" containing photos/images and documents. Virtual albums entitled "Gallipoli", "Lest We Forget", "New Zealand Maori Battalion", "Peace", "Postcards" and "Returned Services Association". Also has a portal for searching content nationwide from organizations such as libraries, archives, museums and galleries, including Auckland Libraries. Courtesy DigitalNZ. 
Index Auckland and New Zealand Card Index 
For references to articles and other resources regarding WWI and WWII. 
Manuscripts Online 
For diaries, letters, postcards and albums
And Papers Past 

Within the library catalogue: Auckland Libraries, search using World War, 1914-1918 or World War, 1939-1945 to find suitable resources. 

Searching using WWI or WWII etc will return you wonderful results of holdings throughout the whole of Auckland Libraries, which you can narrow down by location by using the "select location" dropdown menu on the right of screen. For example, available in all four Research Centres:- Central, South (Manukau) and West (Waitakere) and North (Takapuna) are gems such as:

and you'll also find Australian resources in the Central Auckland Research Centre; for example:
For other sites, try looking at:
Helen Vail's blog 100 NZ WW1 Memorials 1914-2014 is a mine of information about WW1 memorials, and individuals that she has researched. Helen's goal is to personally visit and collate information from 100 New Zealand World War One Memorials throughout New Zealand by August 2014 to commemorate the 100 year Anniversary of the start of World War One and to honour those who paid the ultimate price.
Here's last year's contributions and 2011's summary and blog responses to get you started!
Hopefully this will inspire you and provide you with some assistance in writing your blog!

The centenary of the First World War - 2014-2018
While thinking about your blog, remember that 2014 marks the centenary of the beginning of the First World War. 
The Ministry of Culture and Heritage is developing projects to assist with commemorations for next year, WW100 is providing a portal for New Zealanders who want to be involved in the commemorations, and NZ History Online provides a place for our school children to go to for homework and study assistance.
You may already have read about the launch of New Zealand's WW100 on our sister blog Heritage et AL .
Its worth considering how else you might want to contribute to commemorating, and ensuring that your stories are collected.

Each country will have its own WW100 commemorations, so if your ancestor was involved serving for another country, see what you can find out that country is doing.


FindMyPastAU and Inside History magazine have a joint initiative to create an ANZAC Memory Bank  and invite people to register to be notified of when the site goes live.

Blog away
Seonaid

This entry was posted on Friday, 29 March 2013 and is filed under ,,,,,,. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.

28 Responses to “2013 Trans Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge”

  1. Madhamster30 March 2013 at 15:51

    Hi Seonaid...

    All done! I was waiting, ready...
    http://themadnessofhamsters.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/anzac-day-memories.html.
    Alas, not quite on topic - but a slight sideways diversion.
    ~ Annie.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre2 April 2013 at 08:21

      Thank you so much for your contribution Annie! How Anzac Day affects families/people today is just as relevant. It really demonstrates how Anzac Day still resonates almost 100 years later!

      Kind regards Seonaid

      Delete
  2. Lyn31 March 2013 at 11:47

    I decided to enter into your challenge and have written a post on WW1 Soldier: Hugh Lyndsay Patton 12/3121

    http://genealogy-new-zealand.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/ww1-soldier-hugh-lyndsay-patton-123121.html

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    Replies
    1. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre2 April 2013 at 08:29

      Thanks so much for your contribution to this year's Blog Challenge Lyn. Its a really good read!

      Kind regards Seonaid

      Delete
  3. Julie Goucher2 April 2013 at 06:10

    I shall be glad to take part again. Post up a little later in the month.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre2 April 2013 at 08:29

      Thank you Julie! Look forward to reading it . . . great to see you contribute again this year!

      Kind regards SEONAID

      Delete
    2. Julie Goucher24 April 2013 at 22:36

      My contribution this year is at http://anglersrest.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/2013-trans-tasman-anzac-day-blog.html

      Delete
  4. Unknown9 April 2013 at 22:42

    Hi I am looking forward to joining the challenge. Here is a taster for my first post on Alexander Joseph MacDonald. Hope to have it ready for next Monday
    http://familystoriesphotographsandmemories.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/tombstone-tuesday-2013-trans-tasman.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre10 April 2013 at 14:34

    Hi Diane, I look forward to reading your blog! The "taster" is great! Thanks for sharing :-)

    Kind regards SEONAID

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  6. Unknown16 April 2013 at 00:41

    Hi, here is my blog on Alexander Joseph McDonald
    http://familystoriesphotographsandmemories.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/military-monday-2013-trans-tasman-anzac.html

    and a little follow on one:

    http://familystoriesphotographsandmemories.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/amanuensis-monday-letter-from-major.html

    cheers Diane

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    Replies
    1. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre16 April 2013 at 18:07

      Hi Diane

      Thank you so much for your contributions to the Trans Tasman Anzac Day Blog Challenge! Its mcuh appreciated. Both are a poignant read!

      Delete
  7. Anonymous17 April 2013 at 14:54

    This is my contribution to the Trans Tasman Anzac Day Blog Challenge
    http://ancestorchaser.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/private-george-forsyth/

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    Replies
    1. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre17 April 2013 at 15:45

      Thank you so much for your kind contribution to our annual Blog Challenge. Even sadder when their bodies aren’t found. Great that they are still looking for them after all this time. Its so wonderful to have such a good physical description of George! Thanks again for your contribution – kindest regards Seonaid

      Delete
  8. Ryde Goes to War Project18 April 2013 at 00:47

    From Ryde in Sydney, NSW - we have recently posted our Anzac family story of the Nelson brothers, who were born in NZ & enlisted in NSW.
    http://rydegoestowar.blogspot.com.au/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre19 April 2013 at 13:31

      Thank you so much for your contribution to this year's Anzac Day Blog Challenge!

      Kind regards SEONAID

      Delete
  9. GeniAus22 April 2013 at 10:09

    Here is my contribution: http://geniaus.blogspot.com/2013/04/anzac-day-blog-challenge-kintalk.html

    Look forward to reading the posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre22 April 2013 at 10:27

      Oh thank you Jill for contributing to our Blog Challenge

      Kind regards SEONAID

      Delete
  10. genebrarian23 April 2013 at 09:08

    Here is my contribution: http://huntingancestors.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/in-memory-of-private-james-daniel.html
    Not an ANZAC soldier, nor even a New Zealander or Australian.
    But a France and Flanders soldier who died at the Battle of Marne

    Kind regards SEONAID

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  11. Jenny23 April 2013 at 17:55

    My inaugural blog post ... about English participants and sufferers in both World Wars, and how their experiences resonated down generations and across oceans, to find expression at ANZAC day services in Victoria, Australia

    http://conversationswithgrandma.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre23 April 2013 at 19:34

    Thanks so much for your contribution Jenny! Like you, I have chosen to blog about a soldier from "back home" - because I don't have an ANZAC.

    Thanks for participating Jenny - and good luck with future blog posts! Sure your blog will be very successful!

    Kind regards SEONAID

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  13. kiwicolleen24 April 2013 at 15:15

    My very first blog in honour of our amazing ANZAC heroes
    http://corrinne-kiwicolleen.blogspot.com.au/

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre24 April 2013 at 20:26

      Great blog - thanks so much for your contribution!

      Our first woman on our Trans Tasman Blog honour roll!

      So sad . . . Kind regards SEONAID

      Delete
  14. Shauna Hicks24 April 2013 at 19:20

    Finally managed to finish my tribute to Robert, John and Denis Patrick Finn, my father's great uncles who went to WW1 http://www.shaunahicks.com.au/world-war-one-the-brothers-finn/

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    Replies
    1. Kintalk @ Central Auckland Research Centre24 April 2013 at 20:28

      Thank you for contributing again Shauna. Your blog post is fabulous as always. Traumatic things that happen in people's lives do have a tendency of defining them.

      Thanks again SEONAID

      Delete
  15. David Underdown25 April 2013 at 02:04

    Pushing the Trans Tasman idea a little, here's one from the UK (and it's not the 25th here yet!)

    http://halfmuffled.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/ernest-james-hamblin-the-anzac-connection/

    David

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  16. Maggie25 April 2013 at 12:31

    Just scraped in! My contribution is here: http://blog.iwikiwi.com/2013/04/for-acts-of-gallantry-in-the-field-sgt-p-m-gaffaney-m-m/

    Thanks for the challenge!

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  17. Cassmob (Pauleen)25 April 2013 at 18:28

    hi Seonaid, Here is my contribution to the topic -not specifically one of my own, but fitting with my A to Z theme on the Northern Territory and WA. It's about Indigenous Anzacs. Thanks for giving us all the opportunity to reflect on our Anzac heritage.

    http://troppont.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/v-is-for-our-valiant-indigenous-anzacs/

    Pauleen at Tropical Territory


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  18. Vicki26 April 2013 at 00:13

    It is still the 25th albeit late in the evening...here is my contribution.
    http://vickitheviking.blogspot.com/2013/04/war-does-not-determine-who-is-right.html

    ReplyDelete

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