For our last day in Belgium before setting off to London, Richard & Catherine took us on a day trip to Le Quesnoy. This lovely little town has a special place in its' heart for New Zealand. During World War I, the Germans, who had violated the terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, conquered the town with no great difficulty. Le Quesnoy was occupied by Germans for four years. Its salvation came on 4 November 1918, when New Zealand troops liberated the town. The town was occupied by 1,500 Germans who refused to give themselves up. 400 soldiers from the New Zealand division were wounded, 93 of these soldiers died and were buried in Le Quesnoy’s local cemetery. This liberation remains permanently etched in the memory of Le Quesnoy’s inhabitants. Despite the large physical distance that
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