cherene

Tena koutou katoa I te taha o toku matua tane Ko Whakataha toku maunga Ko Waitangi toku awa Ko Mataatua toku waka Ko Hone Rameka rāua ko Te Kahuwhero Piraka ōku tupuna whakahirahira Ko Robert Ferguson rāua ko Peti Neilson ōku tupuna Ko Nevel rāua ko Pirihira Neilson oku matua Ko Tauwhara me Parawhenua oku marae Ko Ngati Hine me Ngati Rangi oku hapū Ko Ngapuhi me Ngati Porou oku iwi Ko Cherene Neilson-Hornblow ahau No reira tena koutou katoa My name is Cherene Neilson-Hornblow I am the niece of Uncle Sidney Neilson, private 801819, of Kaikohe. Uncle Sidney is the eldest of Robert Ferguson and Peti Neilson also of Kaikohe. Uncle was enrolled in the 28th Maori Battalion A company, on the 28th October 1941 and he departed for his overseas service on the 21st July 1943. Sadly never to return and died on christmas eve 1943. Never to be forgotten but remembered as a great treasure. We journeyed from Roma to Pescara via the rugged snow capped mountains of the Abruzzio region, where we were greeted by the Adriatic sea. Uncle lies at the Moro River Canadian War Cemetry, a very humbling experience one which will remain in my thoughts and heart of the loss of mankind and nationhood.