Wharetini Rangi writes to Ngata from North Africa

Reverend Wharetini Rangi writes to Sir Apirana Ngata with an update on the state of the Battalion and particularly the C Company men.  He writes from the Middle East, probably from just outside of Tripoli where the Battalion are camped.  


Sir Apirana Ngata
Ruatorea
East Coast
N.Z.

Date 19-2-43

W Rangi   C.F.
69291
28th Maori Btn,
Maori Training Depot
2nd N.Z.E.F.
M.E.F.

Tena koe, me te iwi nui e noho mai na i te wa kainga, i roto i te aroha, me ona ahuatanga katoa. Kua tae mai to waea me to reta kua panuitia ki nga tamariki o te rohe, a kua tae ki a Reta ratau ko ana hoa Apiha me te iwi kei Tiripori e noho ana inaianei. Kua tono atu kia ratau kia tuku atu kia koe, kia tukuna mai hoki nga korero (official) o te Battalion mai i Hiria ki Tiripori i te mea kua whakaaetia i aia nei kia whakaputaina. Ko te Wikiriwhi o te Whakarewarewa te apiha kei aia tera mahi, kei te tatari atu au i te kape hei tuku atu kia koe. Kua hoki atu a te Harawira mana e korero atu te nuinga o nga korero kia koe, ara kia koutou katoa. Kanui nga mea taotu o nga tamariki kua hoki atu, ko te Hati raua ko Sadlier me Mohi nga apiha a te rohe, no te Arawa etahi, me Kanara Baker te C.O o te Battalion ia matau i Aramiana. Tana kai-riwhi ko Peneti tamaiti a te Pihopa ko Reta te 2.I.C. Ko te Omana te C.O o nga mea kei muri nei ara  o matau. Ko JC Reedy (Capt) te 2.I.C. Ka nui toku mihi kia te Omana he ngakau Maori, he ata whakahaere i nga tamariki. Ko Te Waipaina (Capt) tetahi kei konei matau kua pai i ona taotu. Ko ia te apiha whakahaere i te taha ture mo nga whakawa hara o nga tamariki nei. Kanui toku mihi ki aia mo te kaha ki tana mahi. Ko te Awatere (Capt) raua ko Pine (Lt) kei mua kei te whakahaere i te C. Coy. Nui atu to matau koa ki te ope tae mai nei, i ahu mai i te kainga na. He mea whakawhetai rawa te taenga mai me nga mihi hoki kia ratau. Kei konei tonu e whitiki ana i a ratau kia rite mo te haere ki mua. No tenei wiki i tae mai ai te toenga o a matau kai, he tuna, he poaka tahu. E waru nga keehi i a matau ko te nuinga i tukuna ki te Btn. Ka nui to matau ora. Tena korua ko Te Riringi i roto i te aroha. Hoatu te aroha ki nga hoa minita, ki nga morehu i te kainga.

Na to tamaiti aroha

W. Rangi

 

Translation

Sir Apirana Ngata
Ruatorea
East Coast
N.Z.

Date 19-2-43

W Rangi   C.F.
69291
28th Maori Btn,
Maori Training Depot
2nd N.Z.E.F.
M.E.F.

Greetings to you, and the many people residing at home there, in love, and all those things that pertain to it. Your telegram arrived and your letter was read to the boys of the district, and it has reached Reta and his fellow officers and the unit who are now at Tripoli. I have asked them  to reply to you, and to also send details (official) about the Battalion from the units time in Syria right through to Tripoli because they [ie. high command] has acceded now to allow these to be published. Wikiriwhi of Whakarewarewa is the officer to whom that task has been assigned, and I am waiting for the copy to send to you. Harawira is on his way back and he will relay the greater part of what’s been happening to you, that is to you all. Lots of the wounded boys have left [for home], Hati, Sadlier and Mohi are the officers from [our] district, some from Te Arawa, and Colonel Baker who was the C.O of the Battalion when we were at Alamein. His replacement is Bennett, child of the Bishop. Reta is 2.I.C. Ormond is C.O. of those in the rear here, that is, us. JC Reedy (Capt) is his 2.I.C. Great are my complements for Ormond, he has a Maori heart, he takes care with the boys. Te Waipaina (Capt) is one who is here with us, his wounds have healed. He is the officer tasked with legal matters for hearing the charges brought against these boys. I must commend him for the effort he puts into his work. Awatere (Capt) and Pine (Lt) are at the front in charge of C. Coy. We are greatly pleased at the arrival of the reinforcements, who have come ashore from home. It was certainly with appreciation that their arrival was received and they were thanked. They are still here preparing themselves so they are ready to go forward. This week the remainder of our food arrived, eels, and pork fat. We have eight cases and the majority were sent to the Battalion. We are very well. Greetings to you and Te Riringi in love. Give our love to the ministers, and the elders at home.

From your loving child

W. Rangi

 

REFERENCE

Published with the permission of the Ngata family.
English translation by Monty Soutar

Alexander Turnbull Library
Ngata Family Papers, MS-Papers-6919-0788

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use.

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