Top of the south Māori commemorate ancestors from 28th Battalion

Thursday, 25 April 2019

Members of the 28th (Māori) Battalion were honoured with a march and a ceremony at Whakatū Marae in Nelson. Video first published on Anzac Day, 2019.

Māori across top of the south gathered at Nelson's Whakatu Marae to share the stories of their tupuna who served in the 28th (Māori) Battalion.

It was the first time such a commemoration has been held at the marae.

Shane Graham from Te Puni Kōkiri said the Anzac Day event was long overdue, providing the opportunity for people to share and hear the stories of the renowned battalion and gain an understanding of their family history.

Siblings Shona Crafer, Lawrence MacDonald, Risman McDonald and Gemma McKinney, at Whakatu Marae to honour their father, Rewi Maniapoto McDonald.

Among them were siblings Lawrence MacDonald, Shona Crafar, Gemma McKinney and Risman MacDonald who attended to commemorate the life of their father, Rewi Maniapoto MacDonald.

Lawrence said Rewi enlisted for war in Oaro, near Kaikoura, as a 21-year-old on November 3, 1939.

Shona Crafar carries a photo of her father, Rewi Maniapoto MacDonald, who served in the 28th (Maori)Battalion.

He served in the 28th (Māori) Battalion D Company and left for war a year later on November 8, 1940 with the Fourth Reinforcements, arriving in Egypt the following month.

The 28th Battalion was part of the 2nd New Zealand Division, the fighting arm of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) during the Second World War.

Members of the 28th (Māori) Batallion were honoured with a march and ceremony at Nelson's Whakatu Marae on Anzac Day.

A frontline infantry unit made up entirely of volunteers, the battalion usually contained 700-750 men, divided into five companies.

Lawrence said his father's left arm was blown off by a machine gun while fighting in Egypt in 1942.

Marie Boyce, Craig Boyce, Judy Chatsworth and Gemma McKinney, prepare to march from Founders Park to Whatatu Marae, to honour their ancestors from the 28th (Maori) Battalion, during Anzac Day commemorations in Nelson.

'It fell on the ground and he picked it up and threw it at the Germans and that is in the official war records.'

A report from Lieutenant Tikao-Barrett at the time said D Company had split into two attacking parties when MacDonald had his left arm blown off at the elbow by a heavy burst of fire while he was charging a machine-gun nest.

It was the first time an event was held to commemorate members of the 28th (Māori) Battalion D Company in the top of the south.

Rewi was later awarded the Royal Warrant, a bravery award, on September 30, 1948.

He died in 1978 at the age of 60. He had 10 children and the four siblings at the service remembered him as a 'lovely man' and a 'wonderful father'.

The loss of his arm never held him back and he played cricket, drove a car and was able to row a boat, holding two oars in his one remaining hand.

'He could do anything with his one arm, it was an art to watch him whitebait because he had this big heavy net with a wooden handle on it,' McKinney said.

Lawrence said it was important to Māori to honour the dead, especially those who had gone to war.

'I think it's important to honour those people that went away overseas to fight for our freedom.

'We are very proud to carry on the tradition of Anzac Day for the Māori and for the Pakeha because we went away as one contingent.'