Home: Southland 1914-1918

Ongoing

 

During the First World War thousands of young men and women left their friends, families and communities behind in Southland to serve overseas. For these men and women thoughts of the familiar people and places gave them something to look forward to on returning.

 

Home: Southland 1914-1918 examines how the settlements and landscapes of Southland looked around this time.

 

In the decades since the war these settlements have all changed dramatically. The familiar landscapes in the background provide some location clues but many of the towns are almost unrecognisable. The effects of losing so many young men during the 20th century wars coupled with changing settlement patterns and economic downturns turned some of these bustling settlements into little more than ghost towns.

 

The exhibition also features a unique scroll loaned to the museum by Dr Aaron Fox that features the names of the original contingent of the 7th Southland Mounted Rifles while they were training in Dunedin in 1914 (including Lt. James Hargest, Trooper Dick Travis and the paw print of the regimental mascot).