Te Huku Merrimana

Surname
Merrimana
Forename(s)
Te Huku

World War 1

WW1 Serial No
16/67
WW1 address
Thames, New Zealand
WW1 next of kin
Mrs Roma Merrimana (wife), Parawai, Thames, New Zealand
WW1 embarkation body
2nd Maori Contingent

Comments (2)

Te Nuku Merrimana AKA Waimanuka Merriman or Meremana 16/672 was my grandfather and the father of Albert Pearson, Leroy and Waimanuka Merriman, each of whom served with 28th Battalion. Nuku and Makiwi his older brother arrived with the 2nd Contingent. It appears they both had interesting wars. Makiwi spent as much time in Field Punishment Centres as he did on the front line. His misdeamenours included disobeying orders of superior officer, striking a superior officer and drunk while under arrest. It amazes me that he only got 12 months Field Punishment No 1 for striking the officer others who committed similar offences would have got a bullet. Sometimes it's better not to know what your forebears got up to. My own dislike of bureaucrats must be in the genes my forebears passed on to me. My hero!

I have a grudging admiration for my grand uncle Makiwi Meremana (16/674) the elder brother of Waimanuka Meremana/Merriman 16/672 (my grandfather).

Their father was a prominent chief of Ngati Maru, refer Thames & the Coromandel Peninsula 2000 years by Zelma & John Williams.
His whakapapa and position within the tribe probably contributed to his disrespect for military discipline as his war was one of hard labour, pay forfeiture, imprisonment and hospitalisation.
His first brush with the law was 10 May 1916 when he disobeyed orders from an NCO, it earned him 14 days Field Punishment No2. On 25 June 1916 he received 7 days FP # 1 for receiving a water bottle of beer while under arrest.
On 2 July 1916 he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for threatening violence to a superior officer. The order was signed of by Maj General Sir Andrew Russell GOC NZ Forces
12 April 1917 Absent from parade earned him 28 days FP#1
Never to be put down, 14 months later he was convicted of stealing fowls and was sentenced to 29 days hard labour in Her Majesty's Prison Shepton Mallett.
To add to all these other indignities he was admitted to an English hospital after hostilities ended suffering from VD.
What a character and what a pain to his superiors.
He passed away 3 August 1927 leaving no issue and is buried in our Meremana Urupa at Thames Racecourse