Charlie Mohi, Part 6 - his first battle

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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 served with the 6th Reinforcements and arrived in Egypt on July 29, 1941.  In this recording he talks about his first battle with the Germans and his brother, who was a Despatch Rider, riding his motorbike through a minefield.

Transcript

Taku wa tuatahi, te taima tuatahi i haere au i te riri tonu o te hoata, ei.  I haere matou ki te Lebanon.  Right up, ta matou mahi, hei titiro atu ki runga i a Turkey.  Kei te mataku hoki ra te, to, o matou Apiha kei puta mai Turkey runga te taha o te Tiamana.  Or, ka haere mai te Tiamana i muri mai.  Ka noho matou i reira, e rua marama pea.  Haere, ka tukua matou ki Beirut, te wahi e whawhai nei te iwi.  Tetahi taone ataahua tera.  Tukua mai ra, tukua matou ki reira i te hararei, e kotahi wiki.  Katahi tonu ka mutu atu tetahi wiki ra, ka pakaru mai a Tiamana i mea … i roto o Syria, a ka maungia matou te New Zealand Div ka oma matou, ka haere matou ki, ma runga tereina tae atu ki a the Rails Head, ka haere matou ki te wahi, tetahi wahi ko Minquar Qaim te ingoa.  Ko tera taku pakanga tuatahi.  Kotahi ke te po me te rangi e tereiwa ana au i taku Bren Carrier a tae matou ki taua wahi nei.  To matou taenga i reira kei te rongo matou nga paku o nga pu i mua, kua ahua tawhiti tonu.  Engari kei te oma mai a matou, o matou hoa, nga Tametame.  Kei te oma mai ki muri i a matou.  Ta matou mahi e, he, he mahi nga minefields hei taapu atu i nga Tiamana.  A, to matou ngenge, mai rano i Beirut i runga tereina, a e moe he aha noa iho.  Engari, taua ra tino kino nei taku ngenge, o matou katoa.  Ka meinga atu taku Bren Carrier ka haere au ki te taha marumaru, a ka moe au.  Ka haere ano, a ka kite atu au i taku tuakana e haere mai ana i te motopaika.  I te wa i, kua tanumia nei matou e nga bloomin minefield nei, te mines. Kei te haere mai ia i runga i tana motopaika kei te karanga atu matou,
“Go, go, go, go.”
Aue, e hika ma.  Haere tonu mai, e karanga mai ki au - “E, he aha to mate?” 
“A, e hoa – kei te mohio koe he aha nga, te wahi i hara mai ra koe?”
“He aha?”
“He pu, he oneone”
Ka haere atu au kua paringa atu te oneone, “A, titiro.” Oh minefield, penei mea te nui.  “Kotahi anake, e tama, kua pariti katoa i runga i te … whew. Engari ka korero maua, a, ka kai maua, kua rongo a matou nga paku haere mai, kua ahua tata haere mai.  E kare tonu tino, e kotahi haora pea ka timata te rere mai i nga hoata a te Pakeha, a te Tiamana.

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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