Maori soldier's Boer War story told

Walter Callaway, also known as Wata te Wahahuia, fought in the Boer War. Photo / Supplied

A little-known Maori soldier's remarkable story has been published by the grandson of a veteran who fought alongside him in the Boer War more than a hundred years ago.

Walter Callaway, also known as Wata te Wahahuia, fought in the Anglo-Boer War from 1899 to 1902 despite a British edict that colonial natives were to take no part in a "white man's war".

Mike Dwight emigrated to Coromandel a decade ago from South Africa, and was surprised by the number of war memorials.

The conflict is notable for the ruthless scorched earth campaign carried out against Boer farmers.

The war is part of Mr Dwight's family tapestry - both his grandfathers fought in it and the monuments pushed him to start researching his adopted home's role.

"Most people don't realise New Zealanders were there. I found out about this character Callaway and he'd been in the same column as my grandfather [Harry Dwight] and I was away.

"This is one's tupuna working over time, I reckon, to get the story told. It became a voyage of discovery finding out more about my own family through him."

Born in 1872, Callaway, a goldminer and logger, was the son of Ngai Te Rangi's Huihana Te Arawaere and an English shipbuilder, John Callaway.

A month before war was declared in October 1899, New Zealand was already gathering volunteers.

Callaway's anglicised name saw him and just one other Maori, William Pitt, make it into the 215-strong First New Zealand Contingent, the first to leave from Wellington.

The funny thing was he did not hide that he was Maori, Mr Dwight said.

"He composed the cry 'kia kaha Niu Tirini, whawhai mai o te kuini ake ake ake' [be strong NZ fight bravely for your Queen, forever and ever] that the whole ship was yelling on their way out from the wharf."

The popular Callaway was the type of man who glued soldiers together. Athletic, happy-go-lucky, he was an entertainer who took his violin to war, Mr Dwight said.

As a dispatch rider scout he distinguished himself over three separate tours, one of five only Kiwis to do so, twice being mentioned in dispatches for bravery.

On one occasion he rescued an Australian who was caught in no man's land between Boer fighters and British forces.

"It was a Willie Apiata situation. On his way out he was shot in the lung, [but] he rides a mile to safety."

But Callaway was blocked multiple times from moving up the ranks to become a commissioned officer - except for one instance when a military telegram congratulated him before rescinding the offer a few days later.

"The second wire says, 'We've made a mistake. It should have read non-commissioned officer.' Now you tell me if that's not a racist thing."

Mr Dwight said it was on his second tour that both his grandfather and Callaway ended up in a 2000-strong mounted column.

That link had made finishing Walter Callaway - A Maori Warrior of the Boer War, which is launched today, all the more special, he said.

"I think it makes one realise that mutual heritage between South Africa and New Zealand runs a lot deeper than the rugby. That's brought me great satisfaction."