About Me
Tena koutou katoa
I te taha o toku matua tane
Ko Whakataha toku maunga
Ko Waitangi toku awa
Ko Mataatua toku waka
Ko Hone Rameka rāua ko Te Kahuwhero Piraka ōku tupuna whakahirahira
Ko Robert Ferguson rāua ko Peti Neilson ōku tupuna
Ko Nevel rāua ko Pirihira Neilson oku matua
Ko Tauwhara me Parawhenua oku marae
Ko Ngati Hine me Ngati Rangi oku hapū
Ko Ngapuhi me Ngati Porou oku iwi
Ko Cherene Neilson-Hornblow ahau
No reira tena koutou katoa
My name is Cherene Neilson-Hornblow I am the niece of Uncle Sidney Neilson, private 801819, of Kaikohe. Uncle Sidney is the eldest of Robert Ferguson and Peti Neilson also of Kaikohe. Uncle was enrolled in the 28th Maori Battalion A company, on the 28th October 1941 and he departed for his overseas service on the 21st July 1943. Sadly never to return and died on christmas eve 1943. Never to be forgotten but remembered as a great treasure.
We journeyed from Roma to Pescara via the rugged snow capped mountains of the Abruzzio region, where we were greeted by the Adriatic sea. Uncle lies at the Moro River Canadian War Cemetry, a very humbling experience one which will remain in my thoughts and heart of the loss of mankind and nationhood.