On Saturday 24 September 2011 this waharoa (gateway) was unveiled at Anzac Park in Nelson. The waharoa commemorates members of the battalion with roots in Te Tau Ihu. It was carved by Mark Davis who is based at Whakatū marae. It is the first memorial of its kind in the region to acknowledge Māori soldiers' contribution to the New Zealand war effort. Nelson and Malborough college students read the names of each soldier, touching each name as they read from a plaque on the waharoa.
Veteran Matiu (Matthew) Love attended the ceremony, his roots are in Whakatū but he has long resided in Hawkes Bay. His name is commemorated on the waharoa along with his comrades who have now passed on:
Burials overseas
NAME | RANK | SERIAL NO | DATE OF DEATH | CEMETERY |
BROUGH, John Michael | Private | 807466 | 08/12/1943 22 years | Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy |
CHESTERMAN, Earle Richard | Major | 11805 | 05/07/1942 27 years | El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt |
ELKINGTON, Herbert Lance | Corporal | 62804 | 08/05/1943 24 years | Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia |
ELKINGTON, John Arthur | Corporal | 62803 | 02/11/1942 43 years | El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt |
ISAACS, Thomas Wiremu | Private | 807318 |
| Italy |
LOVE, Eruera Te Whiti o Rongomai | Lieutenant Colonel | 6133 | 12/07/1942 | El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt |
MASON, Andrew | Sergeant | 66024 | 13/12/1943 24 years | Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy |
MORGAN, Benjamin Te Rauokewa | Private | 62937 | 27/111941 | El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt |
ROPATA, Ehai John | 2nd Lieutenant | 1917 | 26/10/1942 35 years | El Alamein War Cemetery, Egyp |
Burials in New Zealand
NAME | RANK | SERIAL NO |
AMAPIU, Eric Francis | Private | 801502 |
BENNETT, George Ranginohōra | Second Lieutenant | 6123 |
BENNETTS, Robert Patrick | Private | 819445 |
DANIELS, Peter | Private | 25831 |
HEMI, Jack Henry | Private | 39001 |
HIPPOLITE, Hohapata | Private | 25877 |
LOVE, Matthew | Lance Corporal | 39526 |
MACDONALD, Rewi Maniapoto | Private | 25923 |
MACDONALD, Manuel | Private | 1249 |
MCGREGOR, Moetu | Private | 25921 |
MITCHELL, Te Karawira | Private | 819432 |
PENE, Harry Engel | Private | 805178 |
POKAI, Kireona | Private | 62805 |
SADD, Noel Arthur | Private | 807388 |
SCIASCIA, Charles Te Amaru | Private | 817732 |
SCIASCIA, Leslie Frank | Private | 817733 |
SCIASCIA, Reginald | Private | 817735 |
STAFFORD, William Tapata | Private | 805771 |
STEPHENS, Warren Pahia | Private | 819256 |
THOMAS, George William David | Corporal | 633284 |
WALKER, Nutoni | Private | 26079 |
WILSON, Joseph | Private | 819530 |
WORDLEY, Joseph Tono | Corporal | 805373 |
Note: the correct spelling is Te Harawira Mitchell
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