Messines Ridge, Belgium.

The village of Messines was taken by troops from the New Zealand Division.

The New Zealand troops had to advance up a steep hill to reach Messines, from their front lines in the vicinity of the farm buildings in the valley below.

Walking up the road that curves up the hill, you realise what a steep climb this would have been for the attackers.

Near the top of the hill is the New Zealand Memorial Park.

The entrance to the New Zealand Memorial Park is semi-circular in shape, with a low hedged area.

The memorial itself is a tall obelisk, similar to other New Zealand memorials on the Western Front. The wording on the front is

'In honour of the men of the New Zealand Division. The Battle of Messines 7th to 14th of June 1917'.

The view from the Memorial looking south.

A closer view of the Memorial.

The memorial was unveiled by the Belgian King (Albert I) on the 1st of August 1924.

Looking towards the Memorial from the Pill-box.

The menacing Pill-box at the south end of the Memorial Park.

The View looking East, the British Front Line was in the far distance at the bottom of the valley.