More than 300 medals, unclaimed since the end of World War II, are expected to be returned to descendants of Bay of Plenty 28th Māori Battalion soldiers.
Video / Andrew Warner
Thousands attended a medal ceremony in honour of B Company of the 28th (Māori) Battalion at Rotorua’s Te Papaiouru Marae on Saturday.
Among the crowd were whānau of 89 battalion soldiers who were presented with their ancestors’ World War II service medals.
The ceremony was attended by the last remaining member of the 28th (Māori) Battalion, Sir Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies. Willie Apiata, VC, also attended.
Minister for Veterans Meka Whaitiri - along with other ministers Kelvin Davis, Willie Jackson and Kiritapu Allen - presented the medals.
The last remaining member of the 28th (Māori) Battalion, Sir Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies. Photo / Andrew Warner
Three senior New Zealand Army Officers also presented medals to whānau, which recognise the service and sacrifice of soldiers and officers of the 28 (Māori) Battalion.
Kayla Mason and her family, including cousins Tyreece and Kayden, travelled up from Taranaki.
”It was an honour. The boys were blown away,” Mason said.
”They’ve never been to something like that and they didn’t know their great, great grandfather. They were pretty stoked to be able to go up with their koro and receive the medals on behalf of everyone. It was a special moment for them.”
George Hakopa now lives on the farm where his late father, Maori Battalion soldier Hori Hakopa was raised.
”I was just flabbergasted,” Hakopa said of the ceremony.
”I was swept away with it all.”
Hakopa said his father’s medals would be worn with honour by Hakopa whānau members at Anzac Day ceremonies down the ages.
Image 1 of 13: Thousands attended the presentation of c Company Maori Battalion medals at Te Papaiouru Marae, Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner
The Ngatuere whānau travelled to Rotorua from Whanganui to attend the ceremony.
Aroha Ngatuere said receiving their Koro Walters’ war medals was a taonga the family would forever cherish.
”They will always remind us and the generations to come of him. We will never forget this day.”
Colonel Trevor Walker, representing Chief of Army Major General John Boswell, said the ceremony was a “fantastic occasion”.
“Here in Rotorua today on Paipaiouru Marae, it was both emotional and joyful,” Boswell said.
“The feeling of aroha was tangible, and the knowledge that we are helping to put something right for the whānau of those men who marched into history is a real privilege.”
Aaron Morrison (left), MP Kelvin Davis, and Willie Apiata VC attended the medal ceremony. Photo / Andrew Warner
New Zealand Government policy after World War II was that former service personnel would have to apply for their medals, which would then be sent to them through the post.
This was to avoid the problems experienced after World War I when about 10 per cent of medals posted to ex-service personnel or their families were returned because of out-of-date address information. For a variety of reasons, however, many World War II veterans did not claim their medals.
NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals worked with David Stone, from Te Mata Law, regarding the unclaimed medals.
They identified approximately 500 sets of medals, which were never claimed by former 28th (Māori) Battalion personnel.
“The team from NZDF archives are the unsung heroes of this kaupapa; they reviewed thousands of files to determine who had received medals and who [was] yet to claim,” Colonel Walker said.
This story previously incorrectly stated the medal ceremony was for C Company of the 28th (Māori) Battalion. It was for B Company. The story also incorrectly described Willie Apiata VC as a Sir.
