Puna rauemi

A news item with C Company veteran Hingangaroa Smith before the closing of the 28th (Māori) Battalion Association in December 2012.

Hinga went to sign up as a 16-year-old. He found out he had been adopted and that the name he was known as (Major Jackson) was not that listed on his birth certificate.

This 1942 Weekly Review film shows Māori reinforcements training in Northland before sailing overseas to join the 28th Battalion in North Africa.

A couple of B Company soldiers have been identified in the footage, at 3:05 - Te Whiu Bush sits at the centr of this group of 3 soldiers and Dick Ngoungou is at the right.  At 3:22 Robert Gillies is to the left of the open fire and again at 3:30 seated with other members of the Battalion.

Please let us know if you recognise any of the men in this film.