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Story: First World War

Invalided soldiers return

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Invalided soldiers return

More than 41,000 New Zealand soldiers were wounded in the First World War. There were many scenes such as this when men were carried or hobbled ashore. Countless ex-soldiers continued to suffer the effects of their service, both from physical injury and shell-shock (post-traumatic stress disorder), for the rest of their lives. The return of visibly wounded men also had a depressing effect upon the civilian population at home. It brought the realities of war home to New Zealand.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, The Press (Christchurch) Collection (PAColl-3031)

Reference: 1/1-008354-G

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Ian McGibbon, First World War – Home front, 1917 to 1918, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/34130/invalided-soldiers-return (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ian McGibbon, published 16 April 2012.