Ngarimu's mother and sister remember him

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Horowai Maniapoto and Maraea Ngarimu, sister and mother of 2/Lt Ngarimu speak about him in an interview.

Transcript

Radio Announcer:  I’m speaking now with Mrs Horowai Maniapoto of Tokaanu and alongside of her is her own mother Mrs Ngarimu.  She is also of course the mother of the late Lt Ngarimu VC who was killed in Takrouna during the Second World War.

Horowai Maniapoto:  I was very young when he went away but I do recall on his final leave I was very upset about it all and I think when he didn’t return it was very upsetting for all of us.  Particularly for my mother and father who were very dependent on him, and as help, as main help on the farm and also as the eldest son of the family, the eldest one in the family, he was responsible, of course, for a great many things and when he and the younger brother went overseas that left everything in the hands of my father and I think they felt it, a tremendous loss when he didn’t return.

Radio announcer: The news of the presentation of the VC posthumously to you, to your brother must’ve been a wonderful fillip to yourself and to your family.

Horowai Maniapoto: I do know that while my family was very pleased about it, I’m sure they would’ve preferred to have my brother back.

Maraea Ngarimu: Really it was, it was the biggest shock in my life.

Horowai Maniapoto: Well I think she’s  really done a wonderful job over the years, bearing up.

Maraea Ngarimu:  A mother never forgets, like all who have lost loved ones.  I am very proud of my family.  There are ten of them, they are very close together.  They have been a great help to me.  It is a comfort to know that the sacrifice the boys made has been a help to the Maori people in their desire to move forward.

Reference:

Sound file from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, ref: 27566. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.

 


Submitter:
Submitted by mbadmin on

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