HERITAGE AND HISTORICAL MATTERS

On this page, you will find Heritage-related items. This may include Military Heritage items, Military History presentation programme details, and other items of heritage interest.

HERITAGE MONTH - MARCH 2025

“Heritage Month featuring Local History Week

March in Palmerston North is Heritage Month.

Across the month there are over 85 activities, presented and hosted by 50 organisations and individuals.

We warmly invite you to participate in Heritage Month.

Most activities are free to attend. Due to space limits, many require advance registration. You can register by contacting the Heritage Team:  heritage@pncc.govt.nz .

Please find a direct link to the brochure here: Heritage-Month-A5-Brochure-Print.pdf

And a link to the digital programme including the print programme here: Palmerston North City Library | Local History Week & Heritage Month

Here is a pdf of the booklet:  Heritage-Month-A5-Brochure-Print

2025 MILITARY HISTORY PRESENTATION PROGRAMME

(Note: Most EPLP = Evening Public Lecture Presentations and MMMHP = Monthly Midday Military History Presentations will be held on the Mezzanine Floor of the Palmerston North City Library (PNCL).  All speakers and topics shown above are potential until confirmed and invite posters are released. (Note: Most EPLP = Evening Public Lecture Presentations and MMMHP = Monthly Midday Military History Presentations will be held on the Mezzanine Floor of the Palmerston North City Library (PNCL).  All speakers and topics shown above are potential until confirmed and invite posters are released.

The Engineer Corps Memorial Centre (ECMC), of the RNZE Charitable Trust (RNZE CT) and in partnership with the Palmerston North City Library (PNCL), will host the following presentations:

25 Feb (Tue - EPLP) – “80th Anniversary of the Creation of the UN”, by Prof Beth Greener, Head of School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University

13 Mar (Thu - MMMHP) – “110th Anniversary of the Defeat of the Allied Fleet in the Dardanelles”, by CDR (Rtd) Richard Jackson, RNZN

10 Apr (Thu - MMMHP) – “70th Anniversary of RNZAF No 14 Squadron Vampires Deployed to Malaya”, by WGCDR Peter Hurly, DSD, OStJ, RNZAF.

22 Apr (Tue - EPLP) – “110th Anniversary of the Gallipoli Landings”, by Dr Ian McGibbon, ONZM, former Chief Historian, Ministry of Culture and Heritage

8 May (Thu - MMMHP) – “60th Anniversary of No 3 Squadron Transition to Helicopters”, by WGCDR (Rtd) Ron Thacker, MNZM, RNZAF, Former CO, 3 Sqn RNZAF (2003-06)

12 Jun (Thu - MMMHP) - “20th Anniversary of the Deployment of NZDF UNMOs to South Sudan”, by COL Mel Childs, Dep Sec, Governance, People and Exec Services, NZ Min Def

24 Jun (Tue - EPLP) – “110th Anniversary – Men and Their Horses: The Sinai-Palestine Campaign, 1915-19, during the First World War”, by LTCOL Dr Peter Wood, ONZM, RNZIR

10 Jul (Thu - MMMHP) – “160th Anniversary – A New Paradigm: The Self-Reliant Policy in the NZ Land Wars”, by LTCOL Dr Richard Taylor, RNZAEC, Director, NZ Land Wars Study Centre

14 Aug (Thu - MMMHP) – “25th Anniversary of NZDF Women into Combat Roles”, by LTCOL Dr Amy Brosnan, RNZSigs, Director, NZDF Women Peace and Security

26 Aug (Tue - EPLP) – “80th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945”, by RADM (Rtd) David Ledson, RNZN, former Chief of the RNZN

11 Sep (Thu - MMMHP) – “140th Anniversary of the Russian Scare 1885 in NZ”, by LTCOL Dr Peter Wood, ONZM, RNZIR

23 Sep (Tue – EPLP and Book Launch) – “GEN Lucian Truscott, the Greatest US Field Commander in the Second World War?”, by LTCOL (Rtd) Dr Glyn Harper, QSM

9 Oct (Thu - MMMHP) – “70th Anniversary of the Formation of the NZSAS and Malayan Emergency”, by BRIG Chris Parsons, MNZM, DSD, former Deputy Chief of the NZ Army

28 Oct (Tue – EPLP) – NZ Land Wars Month - “180th Anniversary of the Formation of the NZ Army and the Flagstaff War”, by LTCOL Dr Peter Wood, ONZM, RNZIR,

11 Nov (Tue - EPLP) – Remembrance Day“80th Anniversary of the Italian Campaign, the Forgotten Front in the Second World War”, by LTCOL (Rtd) Dr Glyn Harper, QSM

27 Nov (Thu – MMMHP) - “10th Anniversary of NZDF Commitment to Iraq”, by LTCOL Dr Peter Wood, ONZM, RNZIR