As a Returned Soldier having engaged in War, I can only endorse your goals of peace. However I disheartened at the deliberate and cynical timing of your fund raising campaign. Why? other than for marketing and promotional reasons, would a ‘Peace Group’ undertake an ‘Aggressive’, Deliberate and Provocative Action, which shall only garner dismay, anger and distrust within the Veteran Community. Without trust and respect you cannot have peace. By your actions you have destroyed your own credibility.
What is really sad, is your failure to identify the obvious, ”to maintain peace one needs to be prepared to ‘fight’ for that peace”. To believe that Human Kind can live in a harmonic social interface with other cultures and societies based on conflicting ideals or values, is to deny the history of humans on this planet and the reality of our current era.
Whilst your aims are laudable your goals are unobtainable. The timing of your White Poppy collection is an insult and must be treated with the contempt it deserves. Shame on you. Doc Mountain
Just a note to express my gratitude to the creators of this beautiful site. Thank you for the care and sensitivity you have applied to this project. These kiwi heroes of peace and non-violence should be household names and a focus of learning for every NZ student. Warmest regards to all involved.
In 1989 I briefly met Joe O’Neil, who was an old man then, a family friend of someone I knew. He lived in Coromandel. As a young man, he had gone to prison for refusing to fight in WWII. Does anyone know of him or anything about him? I am sure he is no longer alive, but he made such an impact on me I would like to learn more about him if there is any record. Thank you.
Deborah S
why the focus Anzac Day? & why the references to “anzac”? Gallipoli was only one battle. It should be “remembering peacemakers at our commemorations”. Also remember & advertise Remembrance Sunday services held at most churches. If your church doesn’t do one, contact me. 2nd Sun in Nov, throughout the world. Honouring war dead & promoting peace.
It provides an alternative or complimentary activity for the day for families that don’t want to go to dawn parades, or those who want to do that but also something remembering those who refused to fight.
Of course i realise what you do, but my comment was why do that on just ONE of the commemorations?? why mention just anzac (or correctly Gallipoli) day??
It’s the most observed day and we wanted a resource for people to use on that day. Of course they use it any other day as well, Remembrance Day would also be very appropriate.
The power of the individual in their attempts to challenge the military is awesome and shows a bravery far beyond those who refuse to challange that which they know to be wrong. Kia Kaha
To John Miller from Marianne Pedersen. Have given you my contact details at the Te Tuhi Art gallery opening in March 2014 have not heard from you. Still do not have a phone. Would be contactable at the Eastcity Salvation Army office on their number because at the moment I am living nearby.
Thank you for your excellent summary of the case ofFlight Lieutenant Dr Malcolm Kendall Smith. In view of the comments in the Chilcot Report on the Iraq War, would your organisation support a call by AT EASE, an advice service, based in Britain, for people in the Armed Forces, for a FREE PARDON for refusing orders he was convinced were illegal and were therefore his duty to refuse. gwy
So pleased to find this resource, as was blithely unaware of how hidden some aspects of our national narrative are.
It’s unfortunate Doc Mountain feels your campaign was ill-timed. This may be owing to the slight he feels to his national pride, but I would posit that until we acknowledge the darker sides of ourselves and our stories, no positive changes can be made.
Yes the timing of the campaign could be viewed as contentious – but this is how subjugated voices receive recognition – through the bravery of standing up when it isn’t pleasant or easy.
Please let me know if you need any volunteers for your next campaign.
And FYI, my sons will go to war over my dead body! I did not spend all this time and effort raising fodder for someone else’s delusions of grandeur. This is not an insult to returned soldiers either – I deplore the war dead equally, the waste of lives, both past and present.
Peace!
Hi, my father was a conscientious objector detained at Whitanui detention camp during the war. I have just read David Grant’s book Out in the Cold. Does anyone know if David is still alive? Where else can I read about Whitanui camp? Are there any relatives reading this as I would like read more and see any photographs?
Hello, can I have the name of the person who made this website, and the date it was made? I’m working on research ask and I need this for the bibliography. Thanks.
Lest We Forget 
April 21, 2010 at 3:30 am |
As a Returned Soldier having engaged in War, I can only endorse your goals of peace. However I disheartened at the deliberate and cynical timing of your fund raising campaign. Why? other than for marketing and promotional reasons, would a ‘Peace Group’ undertake an ‘Aggressive’, Deliberate and Provocative Action, which shall only garner dismay, anger and distrust within the Veteran Community. Without trust and respect you cannot have peace. By your actions you have destroyed your own credibility.
What is really sad, is your failure to identify the obvious, ”to maintain peace one needs to be prepared to ‘fight’ for that peace”. To believe that Human Kind can live in a harmonic social interface with other cultures and societies based on conflicting ideals or values, is to deny the history of humans on this planet and the reality of our current era.
Whilst your aims are laudable your goals are unobtainable. The timing of your White Poppy collection is an insult and must be treated with the contempt it deserves. Shame on you. Doc Mountain
June 21, 2012 at 11:59 pm |
Just a note to express my gratitude to the creators of this beautiful site. Thank you for the care and sensitivity you have applied to this project. These kiwi heroes of peace and non-violence should be household names and a focus of learning for every NZ student. Warmest regards to all involved.
January 1, 2013 at 4:03 am |
In 1989 I briefly met Joe O’Neil, who was an old man then, a family friend of someone I knew. He lived in Coromandel. As a young man, he had gone to prison for refusing to fight in WWII. Does anyone know of him or anything about him? I am sure he is no longer alive, but he made such an impact on me I would like to learn more about him if there is any record. Thank you.
Deborah S
April 16, 2013 at 8:43 am |
why the focus Anzac Day? & why the references to “anzac”? Gallipoli was only one battle. It should be “remembering peacemakers at our commemorations”. Also remember & advertise Remembrance Sunday services held at most churches. If your church doesn’t do one, contact me. 2nd Sun in Nov, throughout the world. Honouring war dead & promoting peace.
April 16, 2013 at 9:24 am |
It provides an alternative or complimentary activity for the day for families that don’t want to go to dawn parades, or those who want to do that but also something remembering those who refused to fight.
April 16, 2013 at 11:05 am
Of course i realise what you do, but my comment was why do that on just ONE of the commemorations?? why mention just anzac (or correctly Gallipoli) day??
April 16, 2013 at 11:28 am |
It’s the most observed day and we wanted a resource for people to use on that day. Of course they use it any other day as well, Remembrance Day would also be very appropriate.
April 21, 2013 at 7:57 am |
The power of the individual in their attempts to challenge the military is awesome and shows a bravery far beyond those who refuse to challange that which they know to be wrong. Kia Kaha
August 31, 2014 at 11:51 pm |
To John Miller from Marianne Pedersen. Have given you my contact details at the Te Tuhi Art gallery opening in March 2014 have not heard from you. Still do not have a phone. Would be contactable at the Eastcity Salvation Army office on their number because at the moment I am living nearby.
September 8, 2014 at 3:14 am |
Sorry John doesn’t Administer this site. He is on Facebook if you want to try there.
June 23, 2016 at 1:49 am |
Please could we link this site to our Canterbury Voices Against War site http://www.voicesagainstwar.nz
Thanks, Kate
June 23, 2016 at 2:03 am |
Awesome, done. Thanks Kate – what a great resource!
August 8, 2016 at 12:07 pm |
Thank you for your excellent summary of the case ofFlight Lieutenant Dr Malcolm Kendall Smith. In view of the comments in the Chilcot Report on the Iraq War, would your organisation support a call by AT EASE, an advice service, based in Britain, for people in the Armed Forces, for a FREE PARDON for refusing orders he was convinced were illegal and were therefore his duty to refuse. gwy
October 20, 2016 at 11:16 pm |
So pleased to find this resource, as was blithely unaware of how hidden some aspects of our national narrative are.
It’s unfortunate Doc Mountain feels your campaign was ill-timed. This may be owing to the slight he feels to his national pride, but I would posit that until we acknowledge the darker sides of ourselves and our stories, no positive changes can be made.
Yes the timing of the campaign could be viewed as contentious – but this is how subjugated voices receive recognition – through the bravery of standing up when it isn’t pleasant or easy.
Please let me know if you need any volunteers for your next campaign.
And FYI, my sons will go to war over my dead body! I did not spend all this time and effort raising fodder for someone else’s delusions of grandeur. This is not an insult to returned soldiers either – I deplore the war dead equally, the waste of lives, both past and present.
Peace!
August 27, 2021 at 10:04 pm |
Hi, my father was a conscientious objector detained at Whitanui detention camp during the war. I have just read David Grant’s book Out in the Cold. Does anyone know if David is still alive? Where else can I read about Whitanui camp? Are there any relatives reading this as I would like read more and see any photographs?
August 28, 2021 at 12:44 am |
There’s a profile of David on the Penguin Books website, so they might have his details: https://www.penguin.co.nz/authors/david-grant – He wrote this last year: https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/nz’s-war-dissenters-finally-being-honoured
August 28, 2021 at 12:45 am |
The national library has some resources on the camp: https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22430051
October 17, 2022 at 9:15 pm |
Hello, can I have the name of the person who made this website, and the date it was made? I’m working on research ask and I need this for the bibliography. Thanks.
October 17, 2022 at 9:19 pm |
Caddie, M. & Skinner, D. (2004)