Amongst the elegant white horses carved onto the Wiltshire downs, one slightly fat, flightless bird rather stands out – this is his story. 

Masses of bored Antipodeans stuck in England desperate to get home whilst a dangerous world pandemic rages: sounds familiar? No, not 2020 but 1918. 

After 4 years of war, the New Zealand troops from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force were keen to return home. Those that had survived the trenches or the unholy heights of Gallipoli were now threatened by the Spanish flu.

However troop ships were scarce and at Sling Camp, the main camp for the kiwi army at Bulford, near Salisbury, the men were overcrowded, bored and restless. Rioting ensued and in March 1919, in an attempt to keep the men busy, it was decided that they should be put to work creating a giant figure of a kiwi on the chalk downs of Beacon Hill above the barracks.  The national emblem of New Zealand, a rare flightless bird, thus came to eternal roost in England

For the men of the Otago, Wellington and Canterbury battalions it was indeed a giant undertaking: designed by Sergeant Major Percy Blenkarne, it measures 420 feet and covers 1.25 acres, the beak alone being 150 feet long. Nestling under the beak are the letters ‘N Z’ which are 65 feet high.

Surveyed onto the hill by Sergeant Major Victor Low, it was Captain Harry Clark who had the job of marching the men up the hill 6 days a week to complete the task.

The giant bird took about 3 months to carve with the suitably synchronised end date of 28th June 1919, the same day the Treaty of Versailles was signed which ended the war between Germany and the Allied Powers.

Today, the troops are long gone and so are the barracks which housed them. Trees have grown where men once marched but the kiwi lives on. Initially maintained by the Kiwi Polish Company until 1951 (all those boots!), it then fell into disrepair until restoration took place in 1980. In 2017 it was placed on the Historic Monument register, safeguarding its future.

Today, Bulford is still an important British Army camp and rifle ranges can be seen from the hill. Stonehenge isn’t far away on the horizon. The short walk begins at the end of Gaza Road, leading through woodland to the base of the hill. Enclosed by wire to keep busy rabbits at bay, there are entrance gates at the top and bottom of the monument so you can choose your approach.

Whichever way you enter, the scale is impressive – spare a thought for the soldiers toiling on it through an English spring when finally their future must have looked very bright indeed. Enjoy the wonderful views then drive a mile or so to the lookout point to appreciate the kiwi at a distance.

Like many of us it appears to have become a little fatter with age: covered over in World War 2 so as not to serve as a navigational aid to the Luftwaffe, it emerged again in 1948 looking more like an overfed chicken.

Whether a New Zealander would recognize today’s long legged beastie as their national emblem is debatable but it enshrines the endurance and the sacrifices made by these troops from our far flung colonies – long may he remain, an anomaly amongst the sleek white chargers with whom he shares the Wiltshire downs. 

Notes

Bulford is found just north of Salisbury and there is plenty of parking on Gaza Road where the walk starts. The viewpoint on the Tidworth Ranges has some lovely open country around it, popular with walkers and riders. 

Coordinates as follows :

The viewpoint:

51°12′15.6″N 01°44′04.12″W

The start of the walk:

51°11′48.47″N 01°43′15.27″W

The kiwi:

51°11′38.49″N 01°42′53.86″W

Check out the New Zealand war walks at www.ngatapuware.govt.nz