Time line

WW1 broke out at the end of July, 1914. By August 1914, 11 of the Audit Department’s 61 staff had enlisted with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Ten sailed for Samoa on 15 August 1914 as part of the Samoan Advance Party.

The time line below shows the month during which the Audit Department’s staff enlisted. There were varying periods between their enlistment date and when they were sent abroad, and one did not serve overseas.

Some returned to New Zealand before being posted overseas a second time. One of them, Victor Bernard, returned twice, and was sent overseas a third time only to be killed a week before the war ended.

During the war, one in every 10 New Zealanders enlisted to fight, so the war had a profound effect on the nation. The losses were high – 5% of New Zealand’s military-age men were killed, which was the highest casualty rate among British Empire countries.

The loss of more than 18,100 men and women severely affected many communities and families, and so too did the return of men and women who were maimed or suffered from shell-shock.