Bulford Kiwi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bulford Kiwi is an immense drawing of a kiwi carved in the chalk on Beacon Hill above the then-military town of Bulford on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. It was created by New Zealand soldiers awaiting repatriation following the end of World War I.
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[edit] History
The Kiwi was constructed on Beacon Hill overlooking the Sling Camp (now gone), part of Bulford Camp, during the occupation of the Camp by New Zealand troops since June 1916.
After the war was over, the troops were eager to return home, but no troop ships were available. In the wake of riots by disaffected New Zealanders, officers decided that the troops should be kept busy carving an enormous Kiwi into the chalk of the hill. This was done in February and March of 1919, by the Canterbury and Otago Engineers Battalions [1].
The Kiwi is cut out of the chalk hillside, and stands out in contrast from the surrounding vegetation.
The design was executed by Sergeant-Major Percy Cecil Blenkarne of the Education Staff from a sketch of a stuffed kiwi specimen in the British Museum[2]. The site was surveyed and the design extended on to the site by Sergeant-Major V.T. Low, NZE of the Education Staff.
[edit] Size
- The Kiwi's body is 1.5 acres.
- From the Kiwi's feet to the top of its back is 420 feet (130 m).
- The Kiwi's beak is 150 feet (46 m) long.
- The letters "N.Z." are 65 feet (20 m) long.
[edit] After the War
In the years after the Kiwi's creation, the Kiwi Polish Company of Australia maintained the Kiwi through their offices in London, employing local villagers to do the work. Although it had "little if any advertising value [for us]"; they explained their interest in its upkeep as its being a memorial to the New Zealand troops.[3]
During World War II, the Kiwi was camouflaged with leaf mould, out of concerns that German bombers would use the Kiwi as a navigation marker during their raids over Britain. In 1948, the leaf mould was removed by local Boy Scouts [4],and fresh chalk was added. The Scout troop subsequently renamed themselves in the Kiwi's honour.
In the early 1950s, Blenkarne negotiated for the Kiwi to be maintained by the British Army’s 3 (UK) Divisional Headquarters and Signal Regiment following on from the work done by 249 Signal Squadron.
As of 2007, the Kiwi is maintained by the Ministry of Defence.[5]
