James Paratene

Surname
Paratene
Forename(s)
James
Also known as
Hemi Ruakaraka Paratene; James Ruakaraka Broughton

World War 2

Serial No
39418
Rank
Private
Address on enlistment
Karetu, Kawakawa, New Zealand
Next of kin
Miss Miriama Paratene (sister), Whirinaki, Hokianga, New Zealand
Notes

AKA names provided by whanau (9 January 2015)

Comments (4)

James Paratenes Moko My mum is Josephine Broughton his youngest child from 12 children to my Nanna Mary Irone Broughton

I met Jim Paratene when he was a quadraplegic patient at Silverstream Hospital in 1978. I do not know if this is the James Paratene referenced here but the Jim I met clearly had been a tall fine looking fellow with a lovely cheerful disposition despite his quadraplegia. He told me about his time in Crete during the battle in 1941 with the 28th Maori battalion, about a big blonde impressive looking German paratrooper that he saw dead and an equally fine looking English lass he met in London. He told me that he had been attacked by a hitchhiker in Northland in the early 70s causing his condition. I was working as a hospital orderly to fund university studies and one time rolled my big suzuki motrcycle in to the ward for Jim to see. He was stoked.

He did pass is 1978, he knew that my Mum was pregnant with me but he passed a couple months before my birth.

I would love to hear more about him and if there were photos, how lovely that'll be!!! 

Our mum Rahipere (Ras) is his second to last child.

I wish that more people were able to recall him in their stories, I love to hear them xo

 

Hi Richard,  I also used to visit Jim Paratene (quadriplegic and had been in the Maori battalion) at Silverstream Hospital every Wednesday from 1979 until the end of 1983.  I am wondering if the "James Paratene" mentioned here is a different one as "Jim Paratene" at the hospital was alive and well at the end of 1983.  I left school (St Pats) after 1983 and regret not popping in to Silverstream Hospital in 1988 and 1991 to see if he was still there.   Awesome you could show him your bike.