25 – 27 APRIL 2025
2025 will be the 110th anniversary of the April 25th landings at Anzac Cove.
As is tradition in Le Quesnoy, Anzac Day is commemorated on the nearest Sunday to April 25. Te Arawhata will mark this important date with a weekend of remembrance beginning on Friday 25 April and concluding with the town’s official commemorations on Sunday 27 April 2025.
If you are travelling through France or visiting other Western Front remembrance sites in Northern France, we look forward to welcoming you to Te Arawhata.
Beginning Friday 25 April, Te Arawhata will offer guided tours of the museum and Le Quesnoy’s imposing 17th century ramparts. At 6 pm, we invite you to join us for a Last Post ceremony in Te Arawhata’s forecourt – a moment to reflect on the sacrifices of the ANZAC soldiers 110 years ago.
The Last Post ceremony recalls the military tradition of the bugler’s call to mark the end of the day’s combat activities. The Last Post is today played during military funerals and commemorative ceremonies to remember those who died during the War. During the ceremony, the Last Post is followed by a reading of The Ode (a short poem promising to keep alive the memory of our soldiers) and a rendition of the Reveille, a regimental call marking the beginning of a day’s combat.
On Saturday 26 April, the museum will offer further tours and commemorative events:
At 11 am Sunday 27 April, the Le Quesnoy Anzac Commemorative Service will take place. This will be attended by dignitaries from New Zealand and France, locals and Kiwi visitors. A reception will follow the service, open to all who wish to attend.
This is a unique and emotional service where the efforts of the New Zealand troops during the liberation are remembered with reverence and deep gratitude from the people of Le Quesnoy.
Tickets on sale now at the link below:
The events will be on a first come first served basis. Once your reservation is made, you will be emailed an invoice for payment.
Practical information
There are many accommodation options close to Le Quesnoy and in surrounding towns which are easily accessible with a rental car or by train.
For information on options for accommodation and travel, see Getting Here – New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata. We highly recommend staying at Le Château d’en Haut, Jenlain, a nearby castle offering special rates for the Anzac Weekend.
If you require further information email: info@nzliberationmuseum.com
Acknowledgements
Te Arawhata wishes to express its deep gratitude to the Le Quesnoy-New Zealand Association for its collaboration in creating the Road to Le Quesnoy Experience. Without the enduring engagement of the Association, notably including decades of providing warm welcomes to New Zealanders, the friendship we celebrate at Te Arawhata would not be that which it is today.
Te Arawhata is also incredibly grateful to the Le Quesnoy Town Hall and the Mayor, Marie-Sophie Lesne, for their assistance and support in the preparation of these events.
Ticketed Packages
95€ – The Complete Experience
70€ – The Le Quesnoy Experience
50€ – The Road to Le Quesnoy Experience
45€ – The Anzac Dinner
25€ – Te Arawhata Discovery
Tours of Te Arawhata (one hour in English)
Tours of the ramparts of Le Quesnoy (one hour in English)
A form will be sent to you following your purchase of tickets so that you can register for your tour time slots.
Public Events
Friday 25 April, 6 pm: Last Post Ceremony at Te Arawhata.
Saturday 26 April, 8:30 am: Commemorative Walk from Te Arawhata to the Le Quesnoy Communal Cemetery Extension for poppy and wreath laying and the reading of WW1 poetry and letters.
Sunday 27 April, 11 am: Le Quesnoy Commemorative Anzac Service, commencing at Te Arawhata. A public reception at the Le Quesnoy Town Hall is open following the service.
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