Māori soldier with Paddy, Christmas 1943

A Māori Battalion soldier shares some pork from the hangi with a pet dog, Paddy, on Christmas Day 1943 at Maadi Camp, Egypt. This photograph was taken by George Robert Bull. The Māori Battalion had a number of other dogs during the war. Natana Te Whitu found one in the greatcoat of a dead Italian soldier. He called it Bubu and his mates later gave it the honorary rank of colonel. The men kept Colonel Bubu at Maadi and eventually Japan Ruru smuggled him back to New Zealand. Colonel Bubu is buried in the cemetery at Te Karaka, where Ruru came from.