Presentation of the British Empire medal to Flight Sergeant John Leonard Logan* of the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the investiture ceremony on 13th of September 1947 at Uepohatu marae. Seventeen decorations were presented to service men and women who had served abroad and on the home front.
The marae hosted events held on the 12th and 13th of September that included cultural competitions with local school children and the opening of the Uepohatu War Memorial Hall. The hall was built to commemorate East Coast soldiers who died during the two World Wars. A reunion of ex-service people (including members of the Maori Battalion) was also held.
The gathering was an important one, attended by thousands including the Prime Minister Peter Fraser, the Leader of the Opposition Sidney Holland and other members of Parliament. Sir Bernard Freyberg, the Governor General opened the hall and unveiled two memorial tablets inside
* Did not serve with the Maori Battalion
Sound file from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: 43116. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.
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