Letter from C Company officers, February 1943

In 1943 the NZ Government was under pressure to give relief to the NZ Division in the desert. The Maori view was the same: the Battalion had received no reinforcements for over a year, and many of the men in the frontline had been wounded more than once.

Senior officers of C Company penned a letter. It is important as it expressed the sentiments of the men at the time.

A translation by AT Ngata of the letter from Major Reta Keiha and officers of C Company of the 28th Maori Battalion:

Per Air Mail 18th of February 1943

Te Apirana

Send, o Api, your tangi and greetings to us, the elders of the Tairawhiti and chide us for not writing oftener about us, who are here. It was your letter that reached to our innermost beings, and roused to an appreciation of things you have put for our consideration. Since the Maori Battalion entered into the Second Battle of Libya and from that time until it stood upon Tripoli the mind is at length recovering from the stress of the retreat from Tobruk to the taking up of position at Alamein.

During the months of June and July and from then to November we have lost the services of two Colonels, and now have a third in the son of the Bishop. The first Colonel had his thoughts and hopes, which were not fulfilled since the fortunes of war removed him. And so with the second Colonel; his desire was not fulfilled, that he might be spared until victory was achieved in Libya; he was put out of action on the first of November, and was succeeded by the Bishop’s son. From November until this day there has been only one plan, and that is to go forward and to carry out the part assigned to the Maori Battalion. There is no turning back or aside, but only a looking forward. One appreciates, that whoever was Colonel of this unit, he could have no other plan. What else could be done? This plan is part of the major plan of the C in C, and one of the Prime Minister of England, who unfolded it to us on the 4th of this month. This was it: “An advance can be successful only if seasoned men conduct it. Thus it was that you New Zealanders were able to push the enemy out of Libya, because you are experienced and seasoned in battle. Therefore it will not be long before you will have to undertake and lead in the fighting, to teach and to set an example to units, not yet baptised in the fire of battle.” This was also said by the C in C (Eighth Army) to all the Officers of the N.Z. Division on the 8th of this month.

The implication of all this that I have set out is, that until there is none left of any unit will you not hear of the NZ Division or at least of the Maori Battalion. I say this, because of the strength of the various Companies comprising the Battalion. To commence with Ngati-Porou:

First: Of the 100 composing the Company at present there are 22 of the original Coy that went to England. This is their third campaign since the Battle of Greece. Men have been wounded three or four times, and it is their spirit only that enables them to carry on. Of the next reinforcements, that came with Peta Awatere, Hone Te Kauru Green, Tutu Wirepa, 9 remain, and have been wounded two or three times, because they were in the Greek and Cretan campaigns. The reinforcements under Awarau and Taiapa first tasted battle in the first Libyan Battle, as also the reinforcements under Te Hati and Jackson. There are 18 now of the reinforcements under Waipaina and Pine in the Coy, and have been wounded once or twice. Of the party under Te Hati and Jackson there are 25 with the Coy, and have been wounded once or twice. The 7th reinforcements brought over by Tutaki entered the fighting in the present Battle, and their losses at Alamein were very heavy, the heaviest of all in wounded. There are 25 of them with the Coy, most of the men recovered from wounds and rejoined.

Secondly: Some of the men belonging to this Coy are at Base in Egypt, and there is not a single man there but has been wounded. There are other men there, sick men, who are spread around the hospitals. The last reinforcements under Keelan and Tawhai arrived on the 4th of January, and it is reported that they include 11 reinforcements for this Coy. So you see that there is no sufficient reserve at Base in Egypt. But I can say, that the wounded who are now at Base are the ones to take the place of men, who may be out of action in the days ahead. They cannot be held back by Officers or Guards or Administrative Officials at Base, because of their desire to rejoin and their being tired of the restrictions at barracks.


Thirdly: There are many men at the hospitals convalescing. Although not properly fit to be discharged from hospital yet owing to the hurried examination by the Doctors these men are crowded on to Base, where a further examination is made. Men not up to standard are graded and there is great delay in the process by the Doctors and the medical Boards. The men got tired of waiting and when reinforcements are wanted for the coys they make themselves out to be fit and rejoin the unit. The result of all this is that this Coy is full of that kind of man.

Fourthly: This paragraph has to do with the matter of Compassionate Leave. You will know about this. The matter can be discussed under four headings, but I will deal with one only, namely: “Take a soldier, who has or had a brother here in Egypt in the fighting, who was wounded or killed. He can apply to come home . . . Meaning, that there might be a morehu, or survivor. This aspect has not been considered by those in command, but it is being looked at and the Officers of the Tairawhiti have asked the Colonel to allow men of the Ngati-Porou to come home. This does not apply so much to the men at Base, but to those now in the firing line. The men are Poutus, Hooper of Te Araroa, Henderson of Te Araroa, Pariohe of Te Araroa, White of Hicks Bay, Brooking of Ruatoria, Campbell of Ruatoria, Paringatai, Waenga of Whangaparaoa, Mackey of Tikitiki; and there are others. All have been wounded, and have lost brothers. This request is to be commended, and we hope in our hearts that it be granted before the Division takes part in another campaign.

Fifthly: The Tairawhiti Officers have had many meetings to discuss general observations, that may be made to you and the people. Care has been taken to see that the figures sent to you are correct, and the correctness of those sent can now be vouched for. In the Greek and Cretan campaigns the losses were, deaths 18, prisoners 30 (known) and missing many; in Libya (1941) total casualties were deaths 22, prisoners 8; Libya (1942) 27 deaths, 8 prisoners, 4 missing. Thus over 100 men of the Tairawhiti have been lost to the Coy. Then there are the wounded men who have been invalided home, 40 of them. If the Maori Battalion is regarded from this angle the figures are tragic. They had not been seriously considered by the Companies hitherto, because of the many changes in administrative officers.

But to-day our records have had an overhaul and so we can communicate accurate information.

So, o Api, this is our request to you and the people, should you or they desire that the Maori Battalion return home, we leave that matter in your hands and the hands of our people to deal with. Our hearts are yearning for home; that cannot be concealed. The explanations are set out above. This field, Libya, is finished with. By the time you receive this letter the campaign in Tunisia may also be over. Should that eventuate I can honestly say to you, “This is enough for us, the Maori Battalion”. The tramp of Japanese feet is resounding on Hawaiiki. Already the thunder of the feet of the Americans and of the English reverberates on the soil of North Africa. This should be sufficient for this handful of men; only a remnant is left of them. As for us the elders of the battalion, o Api, there is the saying, that the strands of the old net are sagging with use. It is for the young ones, who are straining to lift the weapons of the god of war, that we are pleading.

The position of the other companies is the same as stated above in respect of this Coy. Only the Tairawhiti and Nga-Puhi are able to carry on for another campaign, and then there will be none left. But for the Whanau-A-Apanui the Arawa Coy could not carry on. It has been the deliberate policy of the Colonels of this Battalion to suppress the identity of the tribes in composition of sub-units. Thus D Coy comprises Kahungunu, West Coast, Waikato and South Island. There are 10 Ngati Porou there, and there are no sound men at base to reinforce them. Then the Coy of Specialists, Mortar, Transport, Sigs, Anti-tank - 74 of them are of the Tairawhiti, almost a full Coy; but these Tairawhiti men have been wounded two or three times. When their physical condition did not allow them acting as infantry they were put into the Specialists. There is a large number of them so included, but they should be sent home.

Officers of other companies have been consulted and they are all of the one mind, but they keep their mouths shut, because there are no leaders of the tribes to receive their views. In the second they do not wish it to be said, that they threw up the job they so strenuously pressed to do. We of the Tairawhiti have no hesitation in putting the case before you. We have been in three great battles; there is no man here with a sound body to take our places, that we may rest. There is only one place in this case and that is home.

Enough, o Api, there is not much more that can be said. The boys here are well, although mere shells. What can you expect? Peta Awatere, Pine, Wananga, Jackson, Tutu Wirepa, Te Moananui, are in charge of the Company. They are well, and doing well. Te Kareti Awarau is administering at Base. We convey to you, our elder, your children’s greetings, and also to our surviving grandparents, parents, brethren, the more because of those who have passed away at home. We greet our wives and children, and ask you to convey our message of love to them. May the Great God keep them and us here, and protect us all in these days of trial.

Te Watene Pahau and Barry Mackey are now at OCTU; they are lads who are much in our thoughts and those of all Ngati Porou here.

And so, o Api, we appreciate your greetings and ask that this belated letter be received. Here are the explanations you are seeking. We are all signing this letter, and conclude by wishing you health, you who are the bugleman of the race. May God’s grace and favour rest upon you.

Your Children
Kingi A Keiha
Arapeta Awatere

N T Wanoa

T Wirepa

W Te A Haig

M N Ngarimu

Pine Taiapa

S I Jackson
[1]

Apirana Ngata acted on the letter, probably prompted by the action at Point 209 on 26 & 27 March where C Company, who went into the attack with 128 men, returned with 31 survivors. That action caused 22 men to be killed. Two days after the news of the attack reached New Zealand Apirana phoned the Prime Minister, Peter Fraser, and sent the following letter to him.

COPY RUATORIA
March 30th, 1943

Rt. Hon. Mr. Fraser
Prime Minister,
Wellington.

Dear Mr. Fraser,

I send herewith the original letter mentioned to you over the ‘phone this morning, also a copy of same and a translation by myself. The last is a hurried production, so that I may catch the mail, but it conveys what the writers seek to convey.

I should like to have the original letter back, when you have finished with it.

My own reactions to the communication are -
(a) Many men in the Maori unit are being used too often due to fact that the flow of reinforcements ceased for 12 months for reasons well known and beyond control.
Official information on the actual detailed state of sub-units and reinforcements has for some reason not been as full as it might have been. In part this is due to the changes in command and its nature.

(b) The war weariness of the men, intensified by the knocking about they have had, has been clouded over by the easy assumption here that they do not wish to return and want to be in at the death, wherever that may take place. This letter puts the situation quite bluntly from the point of view of those closest in touch with the men.

(c) The circulation of this letter will intensify the wish of the Maori people, already unanimously expressed to you at Rotorua, that the men of the highly trained second Maori Battalion should go to the Middle East.

Personally I should like the whole unit going as one reinforcement. If that is impracticable then the number to go, including those already selected and awaiting at Trentham should be increased to one half of the Unit’s strength with the necessary complement of officers. For the Oversea Officers are as war weary as the men.

The argument that Maori and Pakeha should be treated alike stands, but it should be remembered that the 28th Maori Battalion is attached and non-divisional.

Yours sincerely,

(Sgd) A.T. Ngata


The short of it all was that the Government instituted furlough schemes; in May 1943 Lt-Col Keiha (now OC) and 128 men returned home for three months’ furlough leave. They disembarked in Wellington and C Coy headed home. They stopped at a number of marae from Gisborne through the East Coast to Otuwhare at Omaio with the intent of dropping the men off. However, none of them would remain at their own marae and they all saw the trip out to Otuwhare before returning home. Through further pressure brought to bear on Government at the end of their furlough these Maori soldiers were not sent back to the battlefront, they were allowed to return to civilian life.

What is particularly interesting about the letter is the fourth point the C Coy officers make: the attempt to withdraw from the front-line brothers of men who had already been killed so there might be a morehu, or survivor, in that family. Of the families mentioned, Frank Brooking, Rangi Henderson as well as Moana Ngarimu (a signatory to the letter) were to lose their lives in the attack on Pt 209 five weeks after the letter was written. The full list of those killed in the attack on Pt 209 is as follows . . .

 2 Lt Moana Ngarimu

Killed in Action

C Coy

 L-Sgt Wiki Silver

Died of Wounds

A Coy

 L-Cpl Rangi Henderson

Killed in Action

C Coy

 L-Cpl Henry Taiuru

Killed in Action

D Coy

 Pte Frank Brooking

Killed in Action

C Coy

 Pte Rangiora Keelan

Killed in Action

C Coy

 Pte Keni Mauhana

Killed in Action

C Coy

 Pte Wi Tawhai

Killed in Action

C Coy

 Pte Wi Fox

Died of Wounds

C Coy

 Pte John Parkes

Killed in Action

A Coy

 Pte Hori Taupe

Killed in Action

B Coy

 Pte R. Thompson

Killed in Action

 

 Pte Harry Hema

Killed in Action

A Coy

 Pte John Lloyd

Killed in Action

A Coy

 Pte Henry Anderson

Killed in Action

D Coy

 Pte Massey Karanga

Killed in Action

A Coy

 Pte Waka Porter

Killed in Action

C Coy

 Pte Reg Tai

Killed in Action

B Coy

 Pte Pakau Tanirau

Killed in Action

B Coy

 Pte Harvey Brown

Killed in Action

D Coy

 Pte William West

Died of Wounds

A Coy

  [1] Maj Kingi Areta Keiha, et al, to Ngata, 16 February 1943. MS-Papers-6919-0788. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Submitted by mbadmin on

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