Harding Waipuke Leaf

WOW - I grew up with this photo hanging on the wall of my grandparents and although I was told many of times who it was, the penny never really dropped. Now an adult and a teacher of 20 years, I stumble across this page while studying the maori battalion with a group of students. I am filled with mixed emotion. Very proud but tainted with sadness.

Harding was my Great Uncle, my Mum is named Helene Leaf Mumro after Hardings wife. Mum was supposed to be adopted when she was very young by Harding Helene as my Grandmother was widowed at a very young age with 6 children to bring up in Wick, Caithness, Scotland. But it did not happen and thats why I am here I suppose. I have been very proud also to discover Hardings story, and after reading his Army service record (which I have a copy of) I am also proud of his feisty wife who tried valiantly to stop him going to fight in the 2nd World War, because he took some of the farm workers with him! I also did not realise that between the wars he managed the Maori Rugby Team and took the first ever tour of the Maori Rugby Team to Fiji and that was where the team first wore boots :-) They were the forrunners to the famous All Black teams. My Mum Dad are in thier late 80's and had visits from one of Hardings Granddaughters (Jinks I think her name is) but even though she lived in Nottingham for a while we did not meet her. Regards to yourself and lovely to hear your thoughts. Regards Dave.

A man of outstanding courage. Who fought alongside his courageous comrades. Proud to be a direct descendant of Harding.Tu mai ra te maunga tapu o Te Ramaroa, ki reira koe a wairua tau ai. Whatungarongaro te tangata ki te whenua, toitu te rangatira, toitu nga mahara. E te matua, e te toi kahurangi o to tatou whanau, nei ra nga mihi maioha. E kore e ea i te kupu taku aroha mou. Moe mai x