REMEMBRANCE: Cyril Matiaha poses beside the gravestone of Rata Namana, a relative who served in World War I.
REMEMBRANCE: Cyril Matiaha poses beside the gravestone of Rata Namana, a relative who served in World War I.
Wairarapa war veteran Cyril Matiaha enjoys the company of fellow soldiers, but to mark 50 years since his service in Malaya and Borneo, he felt compelled to be photographed with a family war veteran.
Mr Matiaha asked Archives New Zealand for assistance in locating the records of a family memberwho served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force's Maori Pioneer Battalion, sent to World War I.
Archives provided him with details of Private Rata Namana, a relative on his mother's side of the family.
Namana, from Mohaka, Hawke's Bay, is buried at Masterton Cemetery.
He survived his service and died in 1945. Mr Matiaha, who served with 1RNZIR D company after signing up at age 21, received a shrapnel wound in the leg during his service during the Malayan conflict.
Asked why he wanted to be photographed with a World War I relative, Mr Matiaha said he wanted to record the moment for his 50th anniversary of service "as a lot of records get lost".
"Better to do it now while I'm still around," he said.
