Charlie Mohi, Part 5 - Battalion comradery

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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.

Charlie recounts a hilarious story about one young soldier's particular expression of comradery, giving his friends black-eyes.

Transript

Te Tohara Mohi:  Engari he nui tonu ratou, you know, o hoa, tino hoa nei.  I roto ke au i a C Company, e, pai rawa atu to matou, taku, aku rangatira ki au.  Hei a ia ratou, e tama, nga mahi katoa kei taua iwi ra.

Pou Temara:  Tena kōrerohia mai.

Te Tohara Mohi:  I tetahi kirihimete, to matou kirihimete  tuatahi, kei roto tonu matou i Maadi.  A, ka tae mai taku tuakana. I taua taima ra he heihana ia, he corporal noa iho au.  Ka haere matou, katahi he moni, titiro haere matou, to matou platoon katoa.  Katahi he moni – a ka haere matou ki te purei Housie Housie. Ka whiwhi tetahi House, e rua tekau pauna ke te utu o tena house – oh a ka nui tena.  Matou katoa, karawhiungia atu ki tana awhi.  Hokohoko mai ngia a matou pia ki runga I to matou tepu. Ka timata matou te kai pia, ka puta mai e rua o matou, a, haria aua tokorua nei, ko ratou tonu nga mea tamariki o to matou roopu.  Ka haere atu tetahi ki tona hoa, tino hoa rawa atu nei.  Kei te unu, a, “good luck”.  Ka unu tahau pounamu.  Ka meinga atu ta raua pounamu ki raro ka mea mai te mea paku o raua, “Merry Christmas”.  Meke tonu ia tana konohi tonu. Merry Christmas dear– bang!  Ooo, kua timata te whaiwhai.  “A, e noho, e noho.”  Kei te karanga te mea paku, “Hey, katahi oku present mahau, ko tera ano taku present mahau.”  Bang.  Ana, homangia taku present ka karawhiua mai ngia tena, mai I tena wa e hoa, kua whiwhi presents katoa matou.  Ka haere atu koe ki to hoa, ka karanga atu “Merry Christmas” – bang!  Kua pupuhi ke nga whatu, ooo e hoa, ko au noa iho.  Te kitetanga pera te mahi a matou hoa, aku hoa, auuuu, ka hoki au.  Ka haere au i te mohititanga o taku tuakana.  I te ata, ka rongo korero, kua pango katoa nga kanohi o aku hoa.  Taku korero pera tonu ki taku tuakana, “A i oma mai au, e tama, kei te porangi te iwi ra.”  E karanga mai e tetahi au i waho - Poipoi, e, Poipoi Kohere, “E Mohi, hurry up, we’re on Church parade!”  Puta atu taku mahunga, boom (slap sound, laugh).  E to matou minita, to matou apiha… a, ei, no Tokomaru ra.  E tama, pango katoa, haere matou i te parade, Church Parade, kei konei katoa.  To matou minita i taua taima ko Rangi, and kua rongo ke a Rangi a matou mahi, kei te korero mai kia matou i roto i tona kauhau, “Kei te pai te aroha o tetahi, o etahi o tatou, kei te mau tonu o ratou whakaaro aroha i roto i nga kanohi.”  E tama, koinei nga mea, you know, nga mea koakoa.

Pou Temara: Ka pai hoki nga perehana.

Te Tohara Mohi: E toru tekau ma toru matou, toru tekau ma rua – pango katoa!  

Reference:

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.

Submitter:
Submitted by mbadmin on

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