Treasured gesture to Kip from the 28th...

As the now General Sir Bernard Freyberg was promoted to create and command the massive New Zealand Corps encompassing other Allied Divisions including our 2NZEF for a brief period, Brigadier Howard Kippenberger was promoted to Major-General and given overall command of the 2NZEF but was to stand on a landmine on March the 2nd at Mt. Trocchio near Cassino and lose both his feet and part of one foreleg after just 5 weeks in command. A tragic blow to this man and indeed the entire Division. Genuinely loved and respected by the 28th Battalion he was in later years quoted as saying ....Nothing in my life has given me greater pride than to have been brigadier of the Maori Battalion in 6 important battles and about 12 lesser ones...It had been one the experiences of my life and it is a source of satisfaction to me to know that i have retained not only their confidence but their friendship... Earlier this same post war day he was welcomed on to a marae.."as son of the soil".  

During WW2 "Kip" as he was affectionally known witnessed and partly planned the North African Maori Battalion assault (Part of the Mareth line Battle for Tebaga gap) on Point 209/Hikurangi or Maori Hill as it later became known which turned into a costly affair, where a young 2nd Lt. Ngarimu held the the struggling Maori attacking force together, refusing to come down although wounded, was among those killed as the Germans were slowly becoming less effective, with his valour earning a posthumous Victoria Cross.Kip again was quoted as saying to Brigadier Jim Burrows...it's the finest VC we've had the Maori battalion really is magnificent, I don't care what they were like last war (considered relatively uncompliant to "so called" modern warefare)we've got nothing better and there are no better infantry in the world than our 5th and 6th Brigades at present".

The above photo is of Battalion C.O. Lt. Col. Peta Awatere at a special 28th (Maori) Battalion parade presentation of a carved walking stick (tokotoko) carved by Rua Kaika to Kip after his partial recovery and return to North Italy, at a Ceremonial Parade at Castel Raimondo near Camerino on the 22nd of Febuary 1945. The stick was to become highly treasured by the then promoted Major General Kippenberger and is itself ablaze in glory.. ..Carved from a pick handle taken from the battle of Cassino, covered with fragments of stained glass window from the Monastery with metal from a downed German fighter aircraft, protected at the base with .50 calibre Browning shell casings and padded rubber from a jeep previously owned by General Freyberg. Lt.Col. Peta Awatere explained its Maori significance..below the round ball at the top, which was the grip, a Whakawaewae figure with traditional slant eyes an bared teeth,tongue protruding,being grotesque and defiant, such was the the embodiment of the Maori Battalion, alert, ferocious, perservering and defiant. The Whakawaewae stood on the head of a bodyless upokowheku, with two faces and eyes around the stick so to observe  the advance and rear guards..the tongue reached down to the base and is carved in the haehae pattern so as to "lick the Germans" Kip was tremedously moved, as he had said before, he had come to feel the Maoris were part of his own family and he said he was proud to have had a part in moulding the the Battalion into the razor edged force it had become, he said the world was astounded with its brave deeds and valour, never for a moment do you hesitate when i asked great things of you in our battles,your future looks bright indeed.

Of interest  that day is Divisional sports were played and watched with winter games of rugby and hockey chosen,the Maori Battalion rugby team played its 5 Brigade brother the 21st. Battalion whereby the 21st. won the game! watched by Generals Leese and Freyberg with the NZ Commisioner Mr Jordan being guest of honour.

It was noted that Kip seemed to walk a little taller when seen supported by his walking stick in the future, truth is he may well have been so, as he had asked his wife in a letter back home when the "new" legs were being constructed in Britian, how tall do you want me? He recieved a number of welcome back gifts on this day ( NZ Division having soon to cross the mighy river Po) from all sections and of course was always very close to his own 20th Battalion but he admired and valued the Maoris, this was a special occasion for him.

It is noteworthy that this man, later Sir Howard Kippenberger was the prime driving force and editor in chief of the post war documentations of the Official New Zealand War Histories. Which was then, if not still is the largest editorial undertaking the NZ government has ever produced, actually creating about 40 different series of NZ Official WW2 Histories. The NZ Official History of the 28 Maori Battalion book has become one of the most sort after and collectable of this series. All Kiwis, of the three forces  who fought or participated in WW2 recieved a free copy, many with a personal citation attached - Kip was the one of the soldiers.

NB. Average market value for a good original edition copy with dust jacket of the" NZ Official History of the 28 Maori Battalion" can reach as much as $500, although it is interesting to see of late that some auction site book dealers seem to be intent on over inflating many of the Series values.