Te Tohara (Charlie) Mohi grew up in Pakipaki. He embarked for war in 1941 and served with the Maori Bren-carrier platoon. Charlie returned on furlough in 1945, see the photo here.
In this recording Charlie recounts a particular engagement in the desert between the Battalion and Germans.
Site editors note: ? - denotes audio is indecipherable
Transcript
Kei te moe ke au i te taha o taku, taku waka, he moe ngenge tonu nei. Ka maharahara oku hoa kua whara au. Ka haramai taku heihana ki te tiro i a ia, e kei te ngongoro ke te ?. Kare i o ngongoro o te toa nei, he ngongoro, he ngongoro mangere Bear au. Ka haere mai matou, a ka mauria matou ki runga tetahi ahua hiwi nei. Ko nga hoia o nga, o matou hoia, kua karikari katoa i o ratou trenches kei mua tonu i a matou, e whanga ana mo te Tiamana. Kite matou e hara mai ana nga Tiamana kei runga hiwi ke matou e titiro ana. Ka haramai nga Tiamana ra, a, e rimu tekau iari pea te tawhiti mai ki o matou. Ka heke ratou. Kei te haere atu hoki o matou, a matou pu, e kei te haramai tonu te Tiamana nei. Ka kite matou, te tera te tuatahi i kite ana au te Tiamana e mea ana i te peita. Kuhungia atu te pene ki mua i to ratou reiwhara ka hara mai ratou. Kei te whakaaro, he aha hoki te mahi a matou tamariki, a matou hoia, kei te tuhi, kei te paku nga pu, engari kei te hara mai tonu te Tiamana. Ka ahua tata mai pea, e rua tekau iari i pea ka timata te haka. Rongo tonu ma te, e rua rau iari pea matou i muri. Kei te rongo matou, i a matou mea, a matou tangata e haka ana. E, ka piki atu i waho. Ka haere tonu atu me a ratou peneti. Timata to matou, te huritanga o tera te Tiamana – araaaaa. A hoki, ka whai haere tonu, whai haere tonu, kei te rongo matou e karanga ana nga apiha, nga heihana “kia hoki mai, kia hoki mai.” A, hoki mai ratou. Kua ahua tata tonu te pouri i taua wa. Well, kua puta mai nga korero ko, ko te mea kua ‘circlengia’ matou. Ei, me pewhea hoki! Ah well, kei te haere tonu tena i tona taha, haere tonu. Tena. Ka puta mai o matou apiha, me nga korero. “Kei te haere matou, e moe, engari kei te haere tatou i te rua o nga haora i te ata. Kua huri noa te Tiamana kei waenganui tatou.” Kua maungia to tatou rangatira a Freyberg, i whara i taua wa. Kua maungia, kua puta ma runga aeroplane. Engari tatou, well, a te rua o nga haora ka whawhai tatou, kokiritia tatou kia puta atu.
Sound file from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: 139356. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.
Image
Crop of full photo - Bren-carrier platoon leads the Maori Battalion into Tripoli, 23 January 1943. Sgt Te Whiu Purei (standing) and Charlie Mohi, seated.
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