Apr 30, 2021
New Zealand troops storm Le Quesnoy, November 4, 1918. Illustrated by Ward Lock for The Wonder Book of Soldiers, c. 1920)
Le Quesnoy was an ancient French town that had been held by the Germans for almost the entire war, but was liberated by New Zealanders a few days before the end of World War One. Though the city was surrounded by medieval walls surmounted by machine-guns, New Zealand troops found a less-well defended section of wall and brought up a 30 ft. ladder. Despite being under heavy fire, they ascended in single file and captured the town, taking the German soldiers and their artillery prisoner. Out of gratitude, the towns people renamed various parts of Le Quesnoy after NZ troops, including a children’s school.