Jock Phillips ONZM (Author & Former Chief Historian of New Zealand) – The Evolution of New Zealand's War Identity

"You can't understand yourself unless you understand where you've come from and you can't understand the culture in which you grow up unless you understand what created that culture."This week, we speak with Jock Phillips ONZM, author and former Chief Historian of New Zealand. Jock shares his journey from studying the culture of masculinity to uncovering the deeply personal diaries of First World War soldiers, the shifting public perception of Anzac Day, and the complex history behind New Zealand’s earliest war memorials.In this episode:- Hear the moving story of the Western Front involving a soldier’s letters and a nurse’s compassionate act that allowed him to die in peace, highlighting the human extremes of the Great War- Explore the unique iconography of the New Zealand Wars, including the fascinating story of the country’s first war memorial and its role in the complex relationship between European settlers and Māori tribes- Learn about Edith Statham, whose pioneering work across the early 20th century ensured that those who fell in the New Zealand Wars were appropriately remembered