Eden Park opens its doors to the public today to commemorate the Passchendaele campaign, the bloody World War I Western Front conflict which claimed the lives of hundreds of New Zealand soldiers.

Mates on the Field: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNoXtSTYLqw

The connection with the park is that the first All Blacks captain, Dave Gallaher, was among those killed.

Gallaher, a sergeant, died 100 years ago today in the Battle of Broodseinde after shrapnel pierced his helmet. The battle was considered the most successful Allied attack of the Passchendaele campaign but cost 492 Kiwi lives.

Read more: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11929298