Contribute

Add your stories, photos, audio and more...

Start contributing now

Already a contributor?

Log in here

Latest comments

See all comments

70 years ago this month

February 1942 was spent re-equipping and training, the Battalion regaining its vitality. Read the war diary for February 1942 here

Eruera Dennis Hamon

Serial No: 
39202
Surname: 
Hamon
Forename(s): 
Eruera Dennis
Next of kin on enlistment: 
Mr Henare Hamon (father), 10 Waverley Street, Gisborne, New Zealand
Rank: 
Private
Address on enlistment: 
10 Waverley Street, Gisborne, New Zealand
Date of death: 
30-Nov-41
Place of death: 
Western Desert
Back to top

Comments

THERE ARE 8 COMMENTS

Add your comments:

Add your stories, photos, audio and more...

Start contributing now

Already a contributor?

Log in here

"A sad day today..."

Te Awhi Manahi commented:
Thu, 30 July 2009 - 09:58pm
An excerpt from the diary of Edith Violet (Osborne) Hamon: Tuesday 20 January 1942 -  "A sad day today. Papa was officially notified of the death of Dennis on active service. We all went out to see Papa this morning. He is so sad but very brave about it."

30 November 1941

Te Awhi Manahi commented:
Sun, 06 December 2009 - 08:42pm

Dear Uncle Dennis,  

It's wonderful that we have this webpage in your memory.  68 years ago you left to go beyond the arai to live with your ancestors. You would be 89 if you were still here and we would all be fussing over you!

Ka maumahara matou ki a koe mo ake tonu atu. 

In the shadows of their words...

Te Awhi Manahi commented:
Sat, 26 December 2009 - 07:59am

We found that as we loaded information and photographs on this website relevant to Uncle Dennis that we had to stop and compose ourselves.

We were learning so much about him by reading the experiences of others. In the shadows of their words was our tupuna, only 19, then 20 and finally, 21 years old. As he emerged we felt stongly his aroha for us, the uri of his brother that he did not live to see.

We have felt him beside us as we have placed what few photos we had of him on the site. We have felt his longing for home. We could almost hear his prayers, see the dreams he dreamt, hear his waiata. We could see his dear whanaunga that he fought with, bury him in a desolate, foreign soil.

And we could feel the anguish of a father desperately hoping for news that his youngest child was safe... Te Awhi o Te Rangi.

"Homage to Eruera Dennis Hamon" - a journey...

Te Awhi Manahi commented:
Tue, 17 August 2010 - 02:29pm

A lovely video called "Homage to Eruera Dennis Hamon" has been posted on YouTube.

It is composed of photographs taken by Ian and Martina Hamon of their journey to Uncle Dennis' grave at Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery in Egypt in January of this year (2010).

Pause the video for a moment at his memorial which has been encircled at the base with the New Zealand Flag and with ferns and beautiful flowers. 

The video ends with these words:

He was carried on high to his resting place; he the peacemaker.

Ka amohia atu ia ki tona wahi okiokinga; ko ia ko te whakaaio whenua.

It is just beautiful!

Eruera Harold Hamon

Te Awhi Manahi commented:
Tue, 12 October 2010 - 10:27am

This past weekend Lydia Hamon Chrisohoou and I were doing some research and asked Mum (Pearl Hamon Anderson) about the name Eruera Harold Hamon as some of our family records record Uncle Dennis as Eruera Harold. Mum said that Uncle Dennis was born only about 6 weeks after Rei Hamon, the first born of his eldest brother. Rei's mother Edith, asked that Eruera be named after her brother Harold, and he was.

His name Dennis that he became known by came from the surname of his male whanaunga who attended to his birth, in the capacity of a midwife.

Bed empty in the morning

Te Awhi Manahi commented:
Mon, 22 November 2010 - 04:42pm

A memoir from the whanau memory bank is that "word was drifting back, which we considered as rumours, that Uncle Dennis had passed away and we hoped that this wasn't true.  It was confirmed when Papa received official notification.  A soldier on his return also told a member of the family that he was in the bed next to Uncle Dennis in the Medic Station and that when he awoke in the morning, Uncle Dennis' bed was empty." -  Pearl Hamon Anderson

39202 Hamon, E. D.

Te Awhi Manahi commented:
Wed, 26 January 2011 - 11:57am
Reg. No: 39202
  • Name: Eruera Dennis Hamon
  • Regt:  28 Maori
  • Date of Birth:  8/2/1918 Click here for correct date details. 
  • Place:  Gisborne
  • Enlisted: 30 Dec 1939
  • Religion:  L.D.S.  Status:  Single
  • Tribe:  Mahaki  Sub Tribe:  Nga Potiki
  • Next of Kin:  Henare Hamon
  • Executor of Will:  Henare Hamon
  • Occupation:  Labourer
  • Last Employer:  Gisborne Refrigerating Co. of  Gisborne
  • Place of Enlistment: Gisborne Ref Co.
  • Last New Zealand Address:  10 Waverly St, Gisborne

Description of Soldier on Enlistment

  • Age:  21 years 325 days (see Correct Date of Birth details)
  • Complexion:  Dark    Hair:  Black
  • Height: 5'9 1/2 "    Eyes:  Brown
  • Educational qualification:  Proficiency
Service Record
  • 26 Jan 1940 Marched in to Camp, Palmerston North
  • 1 Feb 1940 Evacuated to hospital Trentham
  • 13 Mar 1940 Final Leave (14 days)
  • 27 Mar 1940 Farewell to Maori Troops at Gisborne
  • 1 May 1940 Embarked N.Z. on HMT Aquitania
  • 16 June 1940 Disembarked U.K. at Gourock, Scotland
  • 17 June 40 Based at Ewshott Camp, just outside Aldershot, Hampshire
  • 4 Jan 1941 Embarked from U.K.
  • 4 Mar 1941 Entered Egypt
  • 25 June 1941-08.July 1941 Admitted to hospital Egypt
  • 22 Aug 1941 Maori Traning Company
  • 25 Nov 1941 Admitted to Mobile Surgical Unit
  • 30 Nov 1941 Died of Wounds

Cables sent to Next of Kin: 11 Dec 1941 and 19 Jan 1942

'Penalties' which the Army called 'Awards'

Te Awhi Manahi commented:
Wed, 26 January 2011 - 12:11pm
Uncle Dennis was sometimes awarded penalties which usually meant extra duties or pay docks which I have not recorded here. You have to love our young Grand Uncle! If you are whanau, you can contact me on those ones. - Te Awhi
Back to top