Learning about World War 1: Museum trip

We went to the Auckland War Memorial Museum today! We had an awesome time learning about World War 1 and 2.

Posing in front of a WW1 canon.

Another big canon.

The War Memorial Museum is very special because it remembers the soldiers that died in all the wars. The museum is 86 years old this year. The design of the building is special because it looks like a Greek temple. An Auckland company won a competition to design the museum. It is one of the most famous historical buildings in New Zealand, and is protected.

The Auckland Museum is an important War Memorial.

Aaron really enjoyed learning about the animals that went to the war. He learned that pigeons and dogs carried little messages in small containers around their necks and legs. Donkeys helped carry sick soldiers to the nurses at the tent hospitals. Animals were very important in the war time. The most important animals in the war were horses. They carried soldiers to the battle. The other interesting thing Aaron saw was Uncle Norman's name engraved on the World War 1 Wall of Honour.

Pigeons carried messages for soldiers during the war.

The WW1 Trooper display.

Lorin liked the Gallipoli Minecraft game because it had battleships, huts and trenches from Anzac Cove. He was surprised that there was a lot of greenery around before the battle. There were even poppies on the pennisula! Lorin found it a bit hard to learn how to manage the controls but if he practices again he knows that will get better.

Trying to figure out the controls to play Minecraft.

Bella also loved playing Minecraft at the Museum. She found it fun to wear special 3D goggles and experience life in the trenches. Seeing warships was interesting for Bella too because she could go inside them. She was surprised to see that soldiers slept in beds and hammocks! Something else that Bella enjoyed was seeing the trench where a soldier was waiting in his dugout. She was surprised at how dirty it was to be in a trench.

Playing the 3D version of Minecraft.

A soldier in his dugout ready for attack.

Joe liked going to the Museum because he learnt about the weapons that were used. They used rifles and machine guns. The army officers had swords on the rifles called a bayonette. He thinks they are interesting because they are really long. They would be quite heavy to carry and soldiers would have to be very careful not to hurt themselves with the knife!

Mr Limbrick tells us about the importance of wearing body armour.

Playing Gallipoli Minecraft.

Rafa enjoyed everything! He said, "When I saw the German gunner above the trench I was trying to duck, so he couldn't shoot me!" Rafa explained that soldiers need protective vests to protect them from being shot. He learnt that the helmets in World War 1 were not very good because they were made of leather. This meant that bullets could go right through them! Rafa was also interested in the guns that could move around because they were attached to the top of a tripod.

Checking out the Japanese Zero from WW2.

Fascination with the workings of a Spitfire.

When the students saw all the names on the wall of honour they went very quiet, because they were surprised by the number of people who died in World War 1. They were also interested to learn that some nurses names are also listed there.