Libyan campaign, Part 3 - Padre Harawira and Captain Ben Porter

ben-porter-30.jpg

The image shows Ben Porter receiving the Military Cross from Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery, commander of the Eighth Army in the Middle East.

In part three of this broadcast Padre Harawira briefly discusses the Māori Battalion's taking of the Sollum  Barracks in Libya where Major Harvey, a Pākehā OC of A Company was wounded.  He introduces Captain Porter who had received the Military Cross (MC) for his leadership during the campaign. Porter sends greetings to the tribes of North Auckland and acknowledges those soldiers from A Company who have fallen in battle.  He gives his people an update on A Company including which officers are in charge of its three platoons.

Transcript

[Macrons are not shown as users have the advantage of listening to the recording to see which vowels require emphasis.]

Padre Kahi Harawira:
No taua kokiri ano hoki ki Sollum i te rua tekau ma toru o nga ra ka tu a Major Harvey o A Company.  Ka whakahokia ki te hohipera.  Ka whakaturia ko Captain W Porter hei kaiarahi i tiana iwi a Ngapuhi.  Koia tenei ka korero atu nei kia koutou. Captain W Porter MC.

Captain Porter:
Paraire Paikea, Te Rerenga Wairua ki Tamaki, tena koutou. Tenei a koutou mihi kua tae mai kli te whanau morehu i puta mai i te mura o te ahi. Tena koutou i te whanau e takoto mai ra i nga mania o Ripia . E mihi ki a ratau, e tangi ki a ratau nga toto rangatira o te Apanui, Ngati Kahu, Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi, Ngati Whatua. I maringi mai ra ki tera wahi ki tera wahi nga uri o ratau tupuna. Ka nui te mamae mo nga matua, nga pouaru, nga pani, nga teina, nga tuahine o te hunga kua rironei.  Kia ahatia? E hinga ana i te hinga a o ratau tupuna i te hinga rangatira kia tau ai te rangimarie ki runga i te mata o te whenua. Ma te Atua koutou e whakamarie i roto i o koutou pouritanga katoa. E kore ra e taea te korero te maia o te whanau. Kore rawa e whakahoki muri mai i waenganui i nga mea whakamataku o te pakanga. Kore rawa ratau i wareware ki te Kaihanga.Tenei honorekua uhia mai ki runga i toku tinana ehara na toku toa, engari na to ratau. Kua ki ano te kamupene i nga ope o muri nei. Ko nga apiha kei konei inaianei i tua atu i au ko Himi Henare, ko HenareToka, ko Hori Marsden. Ko Captain Urlich hoki raua ko Wordley kei te hohipera tonu, ratau katoa ko nga mea i tu.

Ka nui to ratau pai. Tena koutou, tena koutou.

Translation

Padre Kahi Harawira:
During that attack at Sollum on the 23rd Major Harvey of A Company was wounded.  He was transferred to hospital.  Captain W Porter was promoted to command his Ngapuhi tribesman (i.e. A Company).  This is him about to speak to you - Captain W Porter MC.

Captain Porter:
Paraire Paikea, Te Rerenga Wairua ki Tamaki (i.e. the people from the top of the North Island down to Auckland), greetings. Your well-wishes have reached the remnant of the family (i.e. survivors of A Company) who have returned from the heat of battle (i.e. Fighting in Libya). Greetings from the family who lie on the plains of Libya. We acknowledge them and weep for them the chiefly blood of Apanui, Ngati Kahu, Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi andNgati Whatua. The blood of the descendants of their ancestors is spilt  in this place, in that place. We feel deeply for the parents, widows, [those who are now] orphaned, younger siblings and sisters of the group who have departed. What did they die for? They died the death of their ancestors, a chiefly death, because they gave their lives to ensure peace reigns upon the land.  May God give you peace in all your grief.I cannot speak higly enough of the bravery of the family (i.e. A Company). They never retreated despitefacing the terrible dangers of war.  Nor did they forget the Creator. This honour that has been bestowed upon me is notthe symbol of one man's bravery, but represents their bravery.  The company has been brought up to full strength again by the reinorcements. The officers here now, who are in front of me, are Jim Henare, Henry Toka and George Marsden.  Also Captain Urlich and Wordley are in hospital along with all those who were wounded.  They are very well.  Greetings, greetings. 

Reference:

Sound file from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: 15324. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.

Image:  28 Māori Battalion Association.  The Battalion Remembers booklet April 1984, p. 30.

Submitter:
Submitted by mbadmin on

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