28 Māori Batttalion waharoa, Anzac Park, Nelson

On Saturday 24 September 2011 this waharoa (gateway) was unveiled at Anzac Park in Nelson.  The waharoa commemorates members of the battalion with roots in Te Tau Ihu.  It was carved by Mark Davis who is based at Whakatū marae.  It is the first memorial of its kind in the region to acknowledge Māori soldiers' contribution to the New Zealand war effort.  Nelson and Malborough college students read the names of each soldier, touching each name as they read from a plaque on the waharoa. 

Veteran Matiu (Matthew) Love attended the ceremony, his roots are in Whakatū but he has long resided in Hawkes Bay.  His name is commemorated on the waharoa along with his comrades who have now passed on:

Burials overseas

NAME

RANK

SERIAL NO

DATE OF DEATH

CEMETERY

BROUGH, John Michael

Private

807466

08/12/1943

22 years

Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy

CHESTERMAN, Earle Richard

Major

11805

05/07/1942

27 years

El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt

ELKINGTON, Herbert Lance

Corporal

62804

08/05/1943

24 years

Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia

ELKINGTON, John Arthur

Corporal

62803

02/11/1942

43 years

El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt

ISAACS, Thomas Wiremu

Private

807318

 

Italy

LOVE, Eruera Te Whiti o Rongomai

Lieutenant Colonel

6133

 12/07/1942

El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt

MASON, Andrew

Sergeant

66024

13/12/1943

24 years

Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy

MORGAN, Benjamin Te Rauokewa

Private

62937

27/111941

El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt

ROPATA, Ehai John

2nd Lieutenant

1917

26/10/1942

35 years

El Alamein War Cemetery, Egyp

Burials in New Zealand

NAME

RANK

SERIAL NO

AMAPIU, Eric Francis

Private

801502

BENNETT, George Ranginohōra

Second Lieutenant

6123

BENNETTS, Robert Patrick

Private

819445

DANIELS, Peter

Private

25831

HEMI, Jack Henry

Private

39001

HIPPOLITE, Hohapata

Private

25877

LOVE, Matthew

Lance Corporal

39526

MACDONALD, Rewi Maniapoto

Private

25923

MACDONALD, Manuel

Private

1249

MCGREGOR, Moetu

Private

25921

MITCHELL, Te Karawira

Private

819432

PENE, Harry Engel

Private

805178

POKAI, Kireona

Private

62805

SADD, Noel Arthur

Private

807388

SCIASCIA, Charles Te Amaru

Private

817732

SCIASCIA, Leslie Frank

Private

817733

SCIASCIA, Reginald

Private

817735

STAFFORD, William Tapata

Private

805771

STEPHENS, Warren Pahia

Private

819256

THOMAS, George William David

Corporal

633284

WALKER, Nutoni

Private

26079

WILSON, Joseph

Private

819530

WORDLEY, Joseph Tono

Corporal

805373

 

Note: the correct spelling is Te Harawira Mitchell

Reference:
Courtesy of Tim Hoffman.
Submitter:
Submitted by mbadmin on

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