On Wedsnesday, 11 January 2017, the New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English visited the Battlefields of Flanders.
Consequently the delegation visited Ploegsteert, Mesen, the Menin Gate at Ieper and Tyne Cot Cemetery at Passendale.
Arrival of the delegation at the Ploegsteert Memorial.
Address by the Ambassador.
Laying of a wreath.
The Mayor of Comines-Warneton also laid a wreath.
Last Post
The New Zealand National Anthem
One of the many New Zealand soldiers.
The grave of C.J.J. Clare from Invercargill, also the birth place of PM Bill English.
The Prime Minister planted a poppy at the base of the grave.
Minister Todd McClay, minister of Trade, did the same at another grave.
From Ploegsteert, the delegation went to the New Zealand Memorial Park at Messines.
Mayor Sandy Evrard greeted the PM.
Steven Reynaert briefed the delegation on the Battle of Messines.
Laying of a wreath.
The four members of New Zealand Order of Merit with the Prime Minister and his wife.
Chairman Benoit Mottrie welcomed the delegation then at the Menin Gate at Ieper.
A special Last Post was organized.
The Exhortation by the New Zealand Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister greeted the buglers of the Last Post Association.
He signed the book of honour,
and received a gift.
Picture with the buglers.
The last stop for the day was Tyne Cot Cemetery at Passendale.
Mayor Dirk Sioen handed over a present to the Prime Minister.
The gardeners of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Victoria Wallace, Director-General of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, welcomed Bill English.
And Freddy Declerck gave a briefing on the Battle of Passendale.
A few members of the New Zealand press travelled with the Prime Minister.
Greeting the gardeners of the CWGC.
And finally a wreath was laid at the NZ Memorial Wall to the Missing.
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