The residents of Le Quesnoy, a small village in the north of France, know exactly where New Zealand lies on a world map.

In November 1918, New Zealand soldiers liberated Le Quesnoy from German occupation. Since this time a long lasting friendship has developed between Le Quesnoy and New Zealand.

New Zealand visitors to Le Quesnoy today are welcomed as "our heros from the uttermost ends of the earth". And so we see that the ties between France and New Zealand are not simply reduced to the humiliation of the Rainbow Warrior affair, or via oposing teams on the rugby field.

The underground tunnels of Arras (north France), a veritable underground city designed to contain an army of 25 000 men, were dug by battallions of New Zealand diggers.

The Battle of Arras followed in April 1917, and became the first major British victory against the German army.

The Arras tunnels were rediscovered by accident, several years ago.