World War 2
This article appeared in the April 1990 NZ 28 Maori Battalion Golden Jubilee Reunion booklet.
2nd C.O. - DYER, Humphrey Goring, MID.
Born 7th March 1896 at Hamilton.
Because he was a school teacher for many years it wasn't generally known that Humphrey Dyer started his career as a professional soldier. He was the top cadet at the Duntroon Military College where he was awarded the Sword of Honour in 1918.
Except for short periods of special duties and as Battalion 2 I/C, Humphrey Dyer spent almost two years as O.C. 'D' Company with whom he became closely identified.
As a disciplinarian Humphrey was in the Dittmer mould, his adjutant was Ace Wood, the Battalion's original RSM; the Battalion had performed very well in Greece and Crete and the Libyan Campaign, and now seemed set for still greater things. So it was particularly unfortunate that Dyer's position with regard to captured enemy weapons should have become so uncompromising.
However, he asked to be relieved of his command, and in so doing made way for the Division to appoint its first Maori Commander.
Comments (6)
Freyberg on resignation from command
Submitted by Rob Dyer on Fri, 11/01/2013 - 16:02
HG Dyer and Te Mana Marewa
Submitted by mbadmin on Thu, 17/01/2013 - 08:59
Comment from Paul Evans:"In
Submitted by mbadmin on Wed, 19/04/2017 - 12:15
Comment from Paul Evans:
"In the 1950's I was lucky enough to know two members of the 28th Battalion - Lt.Col. Humphrey Dyer who was one of my teachers at Whangarei Boys High School, and Charlie 'YM' Bennett, MBE, who was United Maori Mission Hostel manager at Whangarei. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of these men - only very fond memories of two great men who were proud to have served in the 28th."
Legacy
Submitted by C Aranui on Fri, 03/08/2018 - 10:58
Kia ora,
I'm a 42 year old school teacher from Wellington, N.Z, looking to have a conversation about the novel "Ma Te Reinga" by H.G.Dyer. In short, it would be great to open dialogue toward republishing the Commander's astonishing portrayal of life in the trenches during WWII.
However, am weary of steppping over the line, so to speak, if such a request is contrary to Mr Dyer's descendants wishes.
Please get in touch if we can simply discuss this issue with all due respect.
Ngā mih,
C Aranui
Dyer as we knew him, as pupils of his.
Submitted by Garth Lovatt (not verified) on Wed, 18/03/2020 - 21:52
Humph, as we knew him, had the most piercing blue eyes, he carried himself erect. He could be diverted from Latin to talk about many things, challenging us, leading us. he produced the back of an exercise book with some lines drawn on it one day, "What Is this?" It had an N at the top of a line through central axis, and the other lines radiating from a point on this central axis had numerals 6 to 11 on lefthand(?) side, 12 with the N and 1 to 6 on righthand(?) side, and a hole about 8 mm diameter where these lines met on the central axis. I profered, "It looks like a type of sundial". "It is a compass we used to cross the desert, the issue compass was based on magnetism and the trucks we were in being steel upset the compass, so with a pencil through this hole and a watch we knew where we were, and could meet up after several hundred miles of desert crossing." He gave credit to the 'Maori boys' for finding creative solutions to the problems they faced to survive under atrocious War conditions. He was in his sixties when he taught us, and could do one armed chin ups on the classroom's door lintel. A truly remarkable man, I have read his self-published book and feel each chapter about the characters he fort beside, should be read on Anzac day, Lest We Forget what great men have gone before us, and provided us with examples for our own lives, I Remember Him.
Humphrey Dyer
Submitted by Barry O'Donoghue (not verified) on Mon, 27/04/2020 - 16:06
In 1945 at the Whangarei Boys High School Humph taught me Geography and History, and all the class always paid attention to him. He was a good teacher,and with those piercing blue eyes, when he stared at you there was something wrong. But he always got the answer he wanted. He rarely talked about the War, but when he did so us 15 year olds were always curious to know more, but he wouldn't say more than what he wanted to. All the 5th and 6th formers were in the school cadets, and we used to parade regularly and he was our CO and wouldn't stand any nonsense from the platoons.It wasn't until well after the War that I learned what a great soldier he had been. He would have been one of the New Zealanders evacuated from the southern side of Crete by the British Navy