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70 years ago this month

For most of June the Battalion are at Arce, north-west of Cassino. CO Lt-Col Young is keeping them occupied and out of mischief. The American’s have occupied Rome. Read the war diary for June 1944 here.

Home > Māori soldier with Paddy, Christmas 1943

Māori soldier with Paddy, Christmas 1943

A Māori Battalion soldier shares some pork from the hangi with a pet dog, Paddy, on Christmas Day 1943 at Maadi Camp, Egypt. This photograph was taken by George Robert Bull. The Māori Battalion had a number of other dogs during the war. Natana Te Whitu found one in the greatcoat of a dead Italian soldier. He called it Bubu and his mates later gave it the honorary rank of colonel. The men kept Colonel Bubu at Maadi and eventually Japan Ruru smuggled him back to New Zealand. Colonel Bubu is buried in the cemetery at Te Karaka, where Ruru came from.

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  • Desert Fighters
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Soldiers

  • Natana Te Whitu
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Reference: 
Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: DA-04880
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
Submitter:
Submitted by mbadmin on Mon, 22/06/2009 - 10:22
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