cook island soldiers - 100 year commemoration

8/20/2019 Cook Island Soldiers - 100 Year Commemoration

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Te Cook Islands Returned Services Association,

in collaboration with the Government of the Cook Islands

REMEMBERING HE COOK ISLANDSSOLDIERS OF WORLD WAR ONE

PAR 1 25H APRIL 2015


2/40REPRODUCTION, COPYING, OR REDISTRIBUTION FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES OF THIS DOCUMENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF WOVEN PACIFIC COMMUNICATIONS.

Kāre rātou e Rua’ine ia

Penei ia tātou e ora nei

Kāre te tuātau e ‘akaro’iro’ia rātou

E te au mata’iti e ‘aka’apa’iro’ia ia rātou

E te au mata’iti e ‘aka’apa ia rātou

I te opu’anga o te rā

E tau ‘ua atu ki te popongi

Ka ‘akama’ara ‘ua rāi tātou ki ā rātou.

Ka ‘akama’ara ‘ua rāi tātou ki ā rātou

Tey shall grow not old;

As we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn;

At the going down of the sun

And in the morning;

We will remember them

We will remember them

ODE O HE FALLEN


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100TH ANZAC ANNIVERSARY PAGE 01

REPRODUCTION, COPYING, OR REDISTRIBUTION FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES OF THIS DOCUMENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF WOVEN PACIFIC COMMUNICATIONS.

CONENS

Message from from the President of the Cook islands RSA ........................................02

Message from the Queen’s Representative .......................................................................... 03

Message from the Prime Minister ............................................................................................ 04

ANZAC message from the Government of New Zealand .............................................05

World War One imeline .............................................................................................................. 06

Nominal Rolls ..................................................................................................................................... 12

Four Cook Islands soldiers who went to Gallipoli ............................................................16

100 years Ago ..................................................................................................................................... 18

Roll of Honour – the soldiers who lost their lives in service.......................................20

Ataturk ribute .................................................................................................................................. 21

Apu epuretu – death notice ...................................................................................................... 22

John Apa – citation re being awarded a Military Medal ................................................23

We remember them ........................................................................................................................24

Graves of some of our fallen soldiers ...................................................................................... 26

War Memorials .................................................................................................................................. 28

Te growth of ANZAC Day – Cook Islands...........................................................................30

Our troops visit the House of Representatives .................................................................. 31

History of the Poppy .......................................................................................................................32

Moeroa Ben’s winning speech – Was it worth it? .............................................................34

Acknowledgements .........................................................................................................................36


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MESSAGE FROM HEPRESIDEN OF HE COOK ISLANDS RSA

My warmest greetings to those of you who have joined for this 2015 ANZAC

Service, especially to the men and women who have served with commitment

and those who continue to serve in the New Zealand & Australian Defence Forces.

Tis year we commemorate 100 years since the

landings of Australian Imperial Forces and New

Zealand Expeditionary Forces at ANZAC Cove. Wars

affect communities, in the Cook Islands we too

have felt the horrors of war. However, we should

celebrate the fact that sometimes when freedoms,

liberties and our quality of life are threatened

there are people who choose to fight to protect us.

During the Gallipoli campaign four young men

who identified their home location as the Cook

Islands served on the Peninsula. Sadly one did not

leave but lies resting at Walker’s Ridge Cemetery,

above ANZAC Cove in urkey.

Cook Islanders have served in the New Zealand

Forces in both war and peace. Trough

Remembrance Services and ANZAC Day, we honour

their sacrifice, and acknowledge those who are still

serving, so that we can hold fast to our values.

Tis booklet is not intended to be a complete

chronological sequence of events of the Great War.

However over the next three years future booklets

will be printed highlighting important informationon the ‘Great War’ years.

May the Holy Spirit be with you all on this ANZAC

Day Saturday 25 April 2015.

Kia manuia

uoro Henry Wichman

President

Cook Islands Returned & Services Association


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I stand in the presence of this commemoration,

proud to represent my forefathers, the people and

Government of the Cook Islands that amongst,

the New Zealand and Australian compatriots,

our Cook Islands Soldiers volunteered to join

the movement of defending what we hold most

precious today, ‘the freedom of association’.

Last year, August the 4th , I joined with world

leaders to commemorate the 100th Year of the

Great War in the township of Liege, Belgium where

the significance at the global level of honouring

the sons and daughters of humanity was most

MESSAGE FROM HEQUEEN’S REPRESENAIVE

Kia Orana, this 100th Commemoration of the ANZAC is more than a

tradition of recognition, it is a beheld belief in the lives of the befallen

Soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the virtues of ‘peace and

freedom’ that we so enjoy today.

noble in recognizing the lives whom were in

conflict. Accordingly, and on behalf of the Island

Nation of the Cook Islands, we share the faith of

our fallen hero’s as we commemorate the lives of

all both known and unknown of their deeds and

their sacrifices reminding us of the ‘invincible

Spirit of ANZAC’.

Lest we forget!

H.E om Marsters

Queen’s Representative

Cook Islands

H.E om Marsters and Mrs Marsters with the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge.

Photo taken 4 August 2014 in Liège, Belgium at commemorations of the

100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.


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Sacrifice is a word we don’t often

use in everyday life because our

hardships today rarely involve

the surrender or the giving up of

something we hold very dear.

In commemorating ANZAC Day each year, the

highest sacrifice one can make is at the very heart

of our remembrance of those, who gave so much

of themselves during World War I. Scripture tells

us that:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay

down one’s life for his friends.” [John 15: 13]

Te teachings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

hold true for those, who fought in the Great War.

Tey gave for their families, their friends, their

countries. And they shall never be forgotten.

Cook Islanders made tremendous sacrifices

alongside the servicemen and women of Australia

and New Zealand, and we recall their lives with

love, with pride, and dignity.

Tis year, in marking the 100th Anniversary of the

landing at Gallipoli, we remember the fallen and

those who served.

I know that in the Cook Islands, ANZAC Day

has become more and more special to us all,

particularly because over the passage of time,

we are saying goodbye to more and more of our

elderly veterans.

MESSAGE FROM HE PRIME MINISER

At home, and in New Zealand, the memory of

Cook Islands servicemen in World War I will be

part of special ceremonial events, and it will be

a proud occasion for the families and friends of

those no longer with us.

o those that are still with us today, you will never

be forgotten as we will be forever in the debt of all

returned servicemen and women.

In that regard, our spirit of ANZAC binds us with

the many servicemen and women of Australia and

New Zealand – all of whom we count as ‘brothers

and sisters in arms’ – friends and mates alongside

whom we share this day and all that it means.

Lest we forget.

Hon. Henry Puna

Prime Minister


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Tis year marks the 100th anniversary of the day

when brave ANZAC soldiers scaled the cliffs at

Gallipoli. It was the beginning of an eight month

ordeal that has become of enduring importance

to all New Zealanders and Australians. Te spirit

of the ANZACs was forged on those foreign

battlefields many years ago, yet it lives on today.

Te Cook Islands contingents that joined the

New Zealand Expeditionary Forces in training

and in battle during World War One are also

commemorated each year on ANZAC Day. Our

soldiers fought side by side, as comrades and

as friends. Te enduring bonds formed during

that time continue to be reflected in the close

relationship between our two countries.

Our special relationship is also commemorated

this year through the 50th anniversary of Cook

Islands self-government in free association with

New Zealand. New Zealand is honoured to have

shared in such a long and warm partnership, based

on strong people-to-people and cultural links.

It is with great pride that we honour the

commitment, courage, and comradeship of all our

service men and women, who exemplify the true

ANZAC spirit.

Lest we forget.

Aimee Jephson

Acting High Commissioner for New Zealand

ANZAC MESSAGE FROM HEGOVERNMEN OF NEW ZEALAND

On 25 April each year, we pause to remember and acknowledge the service

and sacrifice of all New Zealanders who have served in military conflicts.


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28 June

Assassination of Archduke

Franz Ferdinand

Te assassination of Archduke

Franz Ferdinand of Austria-

Hungary and his wife in Sarajevo

triggers the build-up to the First

World War. By 4 August, Europe’s

major powers are at war.

4 August

Britain declares war on

Germany

New Zealand receives the news

of the outbreak of war at 1 p.m.

on 5 August (NZ time). It is

announced by the Governor, the

Earl of Liverpool, on the steps of

Parliament to a crowd of 15,000.

WORLD WAR ONE IMELINE

NZ troops arriving to support the

occupation of German Samoa

29 August

NZ forces capture German

Samoa

A 1400-strong ‘Advance Party

NZEF’ captures German Samoa,

the second German territory,

after ogoland in Africa, to fall to

Allied forces during the war.

16 September

Māori Contingent formed

Te government announces the

formation of a ‘Māori Contingent’

of 200 men for service with the

NZEF. Tis is expanded to 500 at

the suggestion of the British War

Office.

16 October

NZEF Main Body departs

Te NZEF Main Body and 1st

Reinforcements, consisting of

about 8500 soldiers and more

than 3000 horses, departs

Wellington in 10 troopships.

Tey arrive in Egypt on 3

December and establish a campat Zeitoun, near Cairo.

2 November

Te Ottoman Empire enters

the war

Russia declares war on the

Ottoman Empire, an ally of the

German and Austro-Hungarian

empires. Te British Empire

(including New Zealand)

and France declare war on

the Ottoman Empire on 5

November.

8 December

ANZAC name introduced

Te NZEF combines with

Australian Imperial Force

units to form the

Australian and New

Zealand Army Corps

(ANZAC). ‘Anzac’

is adopted as the

label for Australian

or New Zealand

soldiers following the

Gallipoli landings.

1914

German-made version of the Ottoman

War Medal, often mistakenly referred

to as the 'Gallipoli Star' by Anzac and

British troops.

Māori Pioneer Battalion flag


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3 February

New Zealand soldiers see

first combat New Zealand soldiers see their

first combat of the war when

they help defend the Suez Canal

against an attack by Ottoman

troops. Private William Ham,

severely wounded during the

fighting, becomes the NZEF’s

first combat fatality two days

later.

25 April

Gallipoli landings

Te ANZAC landing near Ari

Burnu at what has become

known as Anzac Cove on the

Gallipoli peninsula of urkey.


Te first New Zealand troops

land in the late morning.

5–8 May

Second Battle of Krithia

Te New Zealand Infantry

Brigade deploys south to Cape

Helles, Gallipoli and takes part

in a series of unsuccessful

attacks toward the village of

Krithia on the slopes of Achi

Baba. Tey suffer over 800

casualties.

8 August

NZ troops capture Chunuk

Bair

Te Wellington Battalion

captures Chunuk Bair duringthe Battle of Sari Bair. New

Zealand units hold the summit

for two days until relieved by

British troops on the night of 9-10

August. Chunuk Bair is recaptured

by the urks the next day.

12 August

National coalition

government takes office

Te Reform and Liberal parties

join together to form a National

ministry under the leadership of

Prime Minister William Massey

and Sir Joseph Ward. Te

coalition lasts until August 1919

September

First Contingent leave

Rarotonga for Auckland

15–20 December

Evacuation of Gallipoli

Te authorities in London

decide to withdraw from the

Gallipoli peninsula. New

Zealand troops are evacuated

from the Anzac area between

15 and 20 December. Te

campaign has cost NewZealand nearly 7500 casualties,

including 2779 dead.

1915

Anzac troops return to Gallipoli

A E G E A N S E A

ANZAC PERIMETER

5 AUG 1915

A z

m

a

D e r e

A z

m

a

D e r e

Chai l a k D

e r e

Chai l a k D

e r e

A gh yl

Der e A gh yl

Der e

2 3

1

5

4

CHUNUK BAIR

RECAPTURED BY

OTTOMAN FORCES

10 AUG

OFFENSIVE LAUNCHED 6 AUG 1915

CHUNUK BAIR CAPTURED 8 AUG

Ottomanreinforcements

Ottomanreinforcements

Ari Burnu

Anzac Cove

TheApex

TheNek

R h o d o

d endr on S p u r

S A R I B A I R R

A N G E

S A R I B A I R R

A N G E

Russell's Top

Hill 971

Table Top

BattleshipHill

Damakjelik Bair

Destroyer Hill

The Sphinx

Chunuk Bair

Bauchop'sHill

Baby 700

Hill QOld No. 3 Post

LittleTable Top

00 1000 m1000 mN

Sari Bair offensive, August 1915 map


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1 March

New Zealand Division

formed

A New Zealand Division is

formed with three infantry

brigades. Major-General Sir

Andrew Russell is given

command. Te division is sent to

the Western Front and arrives in

France from Egypt in April 1916.

25 April

First Anzac Day service

Te first Anzac Day services areheld in New Zealand to mark

the anniversary of the Gallipoli

landings. Te government had

announced the establishment of

‘Anzac Day’ as a half-day holiday

on 5 April.

1916

31 May–1 June

HMS New Zealand takes

part in the Battle of Jutland

In 1909 New Zealand offered

a battleship to Britain to help

strengthen their naval fleet.

Te battle cruiser HMS New

Zealand joined the British

battle fleet in 1912 and tookpart in the Battle of Jutland

against the German High Seas

Fleet.

6 July

Second Contingent leave


1 August

Conscription introduced

Conscription is introduced in

New Zealand by the Military

Service Act. As a result 24,000

conscripts serve overseas

with the NZEF alongside

72,000 volunteers. Te first

conscription ballot is held on

16 November 1916.

4 August

Battle of Romani

Following service on Gallipoli,the New Zealand Mounted Rifles

Brigade takes part in campaigns

against Ottoman forces in Sinai

and Palestine, 1916-1918. Tey

see their first major action near

Romani in the Sinai.

15 September

NZ Division goes into action

on the Somme

Te New Zealand Division takes

part in its first major action

near Flers during the Somme

offensive (July-November 1916).

Over the next 23 days, the

division suffers approximately

8000 casualties, including more

than 2000 killed.

But all that my mind sees

Is a quaking bog in a mist —

stark, snapped trees,

And the dark Somme flowing.

Vance Palmer (1885–1959),

‘Te farmer remembers the Somme’


HMS New Zealand.


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1917

9 January

Battle of Rafah

New Zealanders become the

first Allied troops to cross into

Ottoman Palestine. A charge by

the New Zealand Mounted Rifles

Brigade results in the capture of

Rafah and its Ottoman garrison

on the Sinai-Palestine border.

7 June

Battle of Messines

Te New Zealand Division takes

all its objectives, including

the village of Messines. Te

New Zealanders suffer 3700

casualties, including 700 killed

during the battle.

25 June

German raider lays mines

off NZ

Te German armed merchant

cruiser Wolf lays mines off

the Tree Kings Islands and

off Farewell Spit two nights

later. Tese mines sink the

merchant ships Port Kembla (18

September 1917) and Wimmera

(26 June 1918).

4 October

Tird Battle of Ypres

New Zealand’s 1st and 4th

(Rifle) brigades take part

in a successful attack on

Gravenstafel Spur, which runs

off Passchendaele ridge. Te

attack costs more than 320

New Zealand lives, including

that of former All Black captain

Dave Gallaher.

12 October

New Zealand’s blackest day

Te 2nd and 3rd (Rifle) brigades

suffer around 3700 casualties in

a disastrous attack on Bellevue

Spur, Passchendaele. About 845

men are left dead or dying.


Left - Te German auxiliary cruiser

(converted freighter) SMS Wolf

New Zealanders firing a Vickers machine gun from a captured urkish

trench during the Battle of Rafa.


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14 February

Tird Contingent leave


26–30 March

Back to the Somme

A massive German attack on 21

March tears a hole in the British

front. Te New Zealand Division

is among several units rushed

to fill this gap near the Somme.

Tey fight off several German

attacks and hold their line.

13 June

Fourth Contingent leave


1918

29 October

Fifth Contingent leave


23 September

Success in the Middle East

New Zealand mounted troops

help capture Es Salt and Amman

(25 September) in Jordan.

29 September–5 October

Breaking through the

Hindenburg Line

New Zealand troops help break

through the Hindenburg Line

- the main German defence

system on the Western Front.

31 October

Ottoman Empire sues for

peace

With its armies defeated and

its German ally on the verge of

collapse, the Ottoman Empire

seeks an armistice with the

Allies which comes into effect

on 31 October.

4 November

Liberation of Le Quesnoy

New Zealand troops liberate

the walled town of Le Quesnoy,

advancing 10km and capturing

nearly 2000 prisoners in the

process. Tis is the last major

action of the war for the New

Zealand Division.

11 November

Armistice Day

Fighting on the

Western Front

stops when an

armistice with

Germany comes

into effect at 11am.

20 December

Occupation

duties

Te New Zealand Divisioncrosses into Germany to take

part in the occupation of the

Rhineland and is stationed near

Cologne. Tis is a short-lived

assignment and the division is

disbanded on 25 March 1919.


Kiwi soldiers taking a breather on the front

line at La Signy Farm on 6 April 1918, the

day after the major Battle of the Ancre.

Capture of the walls of Le Quesnoy

by George Edmund Butler, 1920.


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1919

15–16 March

roops riot at Sling Camp

New Zealand troops at Sling

Camp in Wiltshire, England riot

over delays in their repatriation.

Shortage of transport and the

influenza pandemic mean that

the last group of New Zealand

soldiers does not arrive home

until May 1920.


28 June

reaty of Versailles

Te reaty of Versailles peace

agreement is signed between

Germany and the Allies. Prime

Minister William Massey signs

for New Zealand.


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NOMINAL ROLLS

REG. NO RANK FAMILY FIRS

FIRS CONINGEN

16/1183 Pte Aiaia -

16/1205 Pte Angene A

16/1321 Pte Apa J

16/1139 Pte Arii A

16/1206 Pte Ataatavi -

16/1184 Pte Inga -

16/1033 Cpl Isaacs S

16/1333 Lcpl Kaipati -

16/1185 Pte Kamati -

16/1208 Pte Kavae -

16/1207 Pte Kopungaiti 16/1212 Pte Mahoa -

16/1214 Pte Makaroa -

16/1182 Cpl Manuella A

16/1187 Pte Mataia -

16/1211 Pte Mataira -

16/1213 Pte Mataputa -

16/1189 Pte Matau M

16/1188 Pte Metua M

16/1210 Pte Metua S

16/1191 Pte Metua -

16/1190 Pte Moeau -

16/1209 Pte Mou -

16/1192 Pte Nena -

16/1227 Pte Ngapo B

16/1215 Pte Patu -

16/1193 Lcpl Pita -

16/1216 Pte Pori J

16/1218 Pte Remuera -

16/1217 Pte Rere -

16/1195 Pte Rima -

16/1194 Cpl Ropu J

16/1196 Lcpl Solomona P

16/1198 Pte akaroka -

16/1201 Pte aneao -

16/1224 Pte anga -

16/1228 Pte araro F

16/1199 Pte aringa -

16/1223 Pte auarua -

16/1202 Pte aura -


16/1200 Sgt epuretu R

16/1222 Cpl epuretu A

16/1221 Pte ipoki -

16/1219 Pte ivini P

16/1217 Cpl otoroaere R

16/1197 Pte upu -

16/1220 Pte utavake -

16/1203 Pte Vavia -

SECOND CONINGEN

19236 Sgt Ah Kew A

19243 Sgt Akatauina

19237 Sgt Aki -19270 Sgt Angene M

19289 Cpl Aperau J

19257 Cpl Aupini -

19429 Cpl Banaba B

19265 Cpl Iaveta K

19276 Cpl Iorangi P

19264 LCpl Kakeparu

19247 LCpl Kapi P

19269 LCpl Karika P

19281 LCpl Karotana

19282 LCpl Kaurevai R

19293 LCpl Ke I

19240 LCpl Kirikiri N

19275 LCpl Kopaki -

19339 LCpl Kopu P

19335 LCpl Koria M

19233 Pvte Kuo M

19322 Pvte Kuraia

19232 Pvte Ma K

19246 Pvte Makiru O

19231 Pvte Mamanu V

19244 Pvte Mana S

19254 Pvte Mani

19258 Pvte Mania -

19350 Pvte Maratai U

19299 Pvte Marsters C

19251 Pvte Mata

19253 Pvte Mataio K

19248 Pvte Mataiti K


19252 Pvte Mateora N

19261 Pvte Meau

19267 Pvte Moriaiti M

19266 Pvte Muiti P

19262 Pvte Muiti R

19271 Pvte Naka -

19250 Pvte Nati P

19343 Pvte Ngaata

19268 Pvte Ngaia K

19277 Pvte Ngarea

19272 Pvte Ngavaarua I

19295 Pvte Ngoroio M19297 Pvte Nio -

19278 Pvte Okore -

19292 Pvte Paitai M

19280 Pvte Paora M

19242 Pvte Paua

19283 Pvte Pepe -

19286 Pvte Piapo -

19259 Pvte Pio -

19260 Pvte Pita E

19321 Pvte Po P

19291 Pvte Puati -

19348 Pvte Rae

19290 Pvte Raki P

19347 Pvte Rigot J

19287 Pvte Roi C

19288 Pvte Ruaporo M

19300 Pvte Ruavai M

19298 Pvte Ruka W

19263 Pvte Simeona P

19274 Pvte aianu M

19303 Pvte aiki N

19305 Pvte akake

19325 Pvte akoto R

19313 Pvte angata -

19301 Pvte angitoru

19332 Pvte aori R

19302 Pvte aote -

19331 Pvte apapa A

19239 Pvte arai


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NOMINAL ROLLS


19314 Pvte au I

19336 Pvte autahana

19317 Pvte avaka K

19318 Pvte eapai P

19320 Pvte eariki P

19311 Pvte ei E

19309 Pvte ekia R

19304 Pvte ekiri M

19319 Pvte emaru -

19307 Pvte epuretu V

19344 Pvte erepii -

19315 Pvte ete N19284 Pvte etua N

19323 Pvte iputa U

19312 Pvte iria

19329 Pvte oroa I

19330 Pvte oroma

19234 Pvte otoroaere A

19337 Pvte u P

20841 Pvte uaine

19327 Pvte uakeo

19285 Pvte uikaa N

19245 Pvte umu I

19308 Pvte ungane N

19316 Pvte uoe

19310 Pvte upa V

19306 Pvte utai P

19326 Pvte utara P

19273 Pvte utara M

19341 Pvte Upokokeu -

19340 Pvte Uri -

19338 Pvte Urikapu

19342 Pvte Uu

19294 Pvte Vakatini P

19345 Pvte Varovaro

19346 Pvte Vavia

19328 Pvte Vavia P

HIRD CONINGEN

60768 Pvte Aerenga V

60696 Pvte Aerengamate M

60685 Pvte Akeau A


60699 Pvte Amoa M

60691 Pvte Amupoe M

60725 Pvte Anaupou

60784 Pvte Aneru

60683 Pvte Aniva

60647 Pvte Arapai P

60755 Pvte Aria K

- Pvte Ariana A

60701 Pvte Avanui M

60751 Pvte Heather J

60656 Pvte Heremanate

60742 Pvte Imene N60715 Pvte Iro

60767 Pvte Iro R

60721 Pvte Ka K

60800 Pvte Kainuku

60694 Pvte Kaivanai M

60648 Pvte Kakaua

60735 Pvte Kaokao

60739 Pvte Kino R

60676 LCpl Kiriau

60721 Pvte Kopukoao

60778 Pvte Kopukoao N

60711 Pvte Koringo

60748 Pvte Koroitiai A

60659 Pvte Mai I

60704 Pvte Makimou

60773 Pvte Makitae R

60799 Pvte Makitira

60779 Pvte Makitira

60663 LCpl Mani

60687 Pvte Maoate J

60716 Cpl Marama M

60733 Pvte Marotai P

60713 Pvte Matapo K

60774 Pvte Matapo M

60657 Pvte Mauore N

60666 Pvte Metuamate M

60671 LCpl Metuatane M

60761 Pvte Miria K

60680 Pvte Miria


60672 LCpl Mitchell J

60682 Pvte Mitchell M

60758 Pvte Moearo

60744 LCpl Motu R

60669 Pvte Mua K

60769 Pvte Naeiti N

60705 Pvte Ngaau M

60705 Pvte Ngaau M

60772 Pvte Ngatama B

60770 Pvte Ngati N

60717 Pvte Ngatitautu

60690 Pvte Ngatoi N60731 Pvte Ngauiti R

60718 Cpl Nicholas R

60677 Pvte Nicholas

60712 Pvte Niovara D

60763 Pvte Nooiti

60655 Pvte Okiruaiti A

60654 Pvte Omao O

60756 Pvte Opetaia K

60764 Pvte Pa Ariki

60649 Pvte Paiti

60640 Pvte Pakipaki A

60668 Pvte Parau

60641 Pvte Potai

60723 Pvte Puati P

60664 Pvte Puati

60664 Pvte Puri

60759 Pvte Putoko K

60709 Pvte Raeametua R

60689 Pvte Rangimakea

60726 Pvte Ratia U

60746 Pvte Rau M

60697 Pvte Ria M

60765 Pvte Rima

60734 Pvte Roikino E

60754 Pvte Rota R

60714 Pvte Rua Vaikatau R

60786 Pvte Samuel M

60786 Pvte Samuel M

60771 Pvte Simiona B


16/40




60753 Pvte Smith C

60750 Pvte Solomona B

60708 Pvte Strickland

60743 LCpl aaki O

60781 Pvte aero J

60881 Pvte angitoru R

60741 Pvte aomia U

60679 Pvte aomia

60780 Pvte aopua

60728 Pvte aopua A

60727 LCpl aripo A

60665 Pvte aua M60749 Pvte aumaa M

60736 Pvte aunga

60732 Pvte avero

60662 Pvte eaea

60652 Pvte eaitu

60786 Pvte eakotai

60678 Pvte earetoa R

60707 Pvte eariaroa

60702 Pvte earikiroa A

60740 Pvte eau O

60782 Pvte ehui F

60710 Pvte epei O

60777 Pvte epei K

60846 Pvte era A

60639 Pvte eretai I

60720 Pvte eriti

60680 Pvte euruaa

60698 Pvte ia B

60653 Pvte ipe B

60644 Pvte oarere A

60690 Pvte oi B

60674 Pvte okoronga

60776 Pvte ongia

60688 Pvte ongia

60645 Pvte oru

161217 Pvte otoroaere R

60762 Pvte uaine A

19290 LCpl uakana Oruru

60741 Pvte uakanaiti

NOMINAL ROLLS


60695 Pvte uanu R

60745 Pvte uatiaki O

60775 Pvte uri M

60650 Pvte utai R

60684 Pvte ututoa R

60667 Pvte Uaongo A

60766 Pvte Uriarau P

60670 Pvte Uriarau

60747 Pvte Vaevaeongo N

60700 Pvte William K

FOURH CONINGEN

84569 Pvte Aererua M84584 L.Corp Alo J

84516 Pvte Apa K

84578 Pvte Aratai K

84547 Pvte Aruake K

84588 Pvte Ata L

84561 Pvte Ata H

84546 Pvte Atai K

84512 Pvte Browne A

84535 Sergt Cowan A

84581 L.Corp Cuthers K

84515 Pvte Elia

84514 L.Corp Gelling G

84545 Pvte Ingatu M

84517 L.Corp Iseraela

84530 Pvte Joseph M

84572 Pvte Kaiwaievai

84524 Pvte Kake M

84542 L.Corp Kea P

84562 Pvte Keraiti M

84568 Pvte Kiriiti

84587 Pvte Kita L

84557 L.Corp Koroa V

84523 Pvte Mairaro P

84527 Pvte Maka P

84539 Pvte Maka

84508 Pvte Makotupu M

84537 Pvte Manoa A

84528 Pvte Mataiti I

84574 Pvte Mateatea M


84580 Pvte Mateatea

84551 Pvte Mauke

84549 Pvte Mitiau

84522 Corp Monga

84500 Pvte Mose V

84509 Pvte Nau

84511 Pvte Ngaa M

84503 Pvte Ngaipu I

84566 Pvte Ngatama N

84583 Pvte Ngataua H

84526 Pvte Niotamanu U

84604 Pvte Okore A 84548 Pvte Ongoroati

84544 Pvte Paku

84518 Pvte Panu P

84556 Pvte Pe M

84576 Pvte Peiaa K

84560 Pvte Peni N

84502 Pvte Pira I

84507 Pvte Poaza

84538 Pvte Purau

84520 Pvte Raka A

84555 Pvte Reke R

84552 Pvte Rua Moana

84521 Corp Sataraka R

84577 Pvte aku

84525 Pvte amaau

84506 Pvte amapeni U

84513 Pvte aria

84573 Pvte aria M

84533 Pvte au N

84553 Pvte aura

84575 Pvte eaioiti

84567 Pvte eakaiti V

84565 Pvte earii R

84572 Pvte eauiti K

60651 L.Corp ei P

84543 Pvte eipo P

84579 Pvte ena

84540 Pvte erepai

84536 Pvte erongo U


17/40



NOMINAL ROLLS


84559 Pvte euruaa N

84586 Pvte Tompson A

84532 Pvte iaure R

84541 Pvte ima M

84529 Pvte oki

84570 Pvte otaere N

84519 Sergt ou W

84571 Pvte rego M

84531 Pvte uakana

84534 Pvte uakana K

84554 Pvte tuakana

84564 Pvte uakana 84558 Pvte Uaonga

85463 Pvte Uria U

84550 Pvte Vainemaki R

84510 Pvte Vaopaaki P

60839 Corp Vea J

84585 Pvte Winchester J

84501 Pvte Wycliffe P

FIFH CONINGEN

- Pvte Aria N

- Pvte Ata A

- Corp Bishop

- A.Sergt Henry N

- Pvte Iakoba A

- Pvte Ieremia A

- Pvte Iro

- Pvte Isaac

- A.Sergt Kainuku

- Corp Kainuku J

- L.Corp Kaora

- Pvte Kapatiau A

- Pvte Kautai K

- Corp Kete M

- Pvte Kita

- Pvte Kitai M

- Pvte Koroiti

- Pvte Manuela I

- Pvte Marama N

- Pvte Maruae

- Pvte Mataiti


- Pvte Matenga K

- Pvte Mokenga

- Pvte Mokoenga N

- Pvte Mokotupu J

- Pvte Ngariu

- Pvte Nui

- Pvte Paite

- Pvte Paiti R

- Pvte Pako

- Pvte Pariau U

- Pvte Peu

- A.Sergt Pori - Pvte RoiKino N

- Pvte Rua

- Pvte Rua V

- Pvte Strickland

- Pvte aai R

- Pvte akareu

- Pvte amaaua P

- Pvte angi

- Pvte aoata

- Pvte avaitai

- Pvte eipo

- Pvte ekii P

- Pvte etuaru M

- Pvte eupuorango W

- Pvte ikaroa M

- Pvte iki K

- Pvte ini K

- Pvte iotoru N

- Pvte itoru

- Pvte oki N

- Pvte omanuanua

- Pvte opaiti A

- Pvte uru V

- Pvte uru

- Pvte Uangakore M

- Corp Vati .J

- CSM Wright C

PAPA’A COOK ISLANDS

16/1007 Pvte Adam K


19109 Pvte Black F

2/746 Lieut Lance J

16/1378 Pvte Mitchell E

- Lcpl Northcroft H

71673 Sergt Reid E

161386 /Sergt Shearman P

16/1335 Cpl aliauli J

13836 Rfln Wilkinson A

6 2968 Pvte Worral

RCI FM NZ

- Pvte Aneva -

- Pvte Arapo -60661 Pvte Campbell J

- Pvte Hau -

60688 Pvte Kainana A

- Pvte Kau P

60722 Pvte Kokaua

- Pvte Maoa -

60724 Pvte Moe

- Pvte Natana M

- Pvte Ngatokorua N

- Pvte Pepe -

- Pvte Peru K

- Pvte Peta

- Pvte Piani R

- Pvte Pirangi P

- Pvte Reo P

- Pvte Reva -

60703 Pvte Ruatea M

- Pvte Samuela

- Pvte akiau -

- Pvte angata S

- Pvte angi -

- Pvte eavae A

- Pvte eina D

- Pvte eiva -

60673 Pvte itia K

- Pvte ua -


18/40



Recent research conducted by two

New Zealand military historians

has identified four Cook

Islands residents or native born

individuals who fought on that

bloody peninsular at Gallipoli.

Te identification of these

individuals is important as most

of the Cook Islanders joined the

New Zealand Army in 1916 to

1918, by which time the ill-fated

expedition to ANZAC Cove had finished with the

withdrawal of the ANZAC, British, Indian and

French forces from urkey.

Te contribution and sacrifice of the Cook Islanders

has mainly been assumed into the larger New

Zealand Māori Pioneer Battalion official histories

and the history and efforts of the Rarotongan efforts

in Palestine has never been adequately recorded.

Tis is about to change as this current research

project has now identified and recorded the service

of all Pacific soldiers and the campaign histories

are being prepared.

Teir intention is to preserve the history and

contribution of over 460 Cook Islanders of a total

of 1000 Pacific Islanders who fought in Gallipoli,

France, Egypt and Palestine.

Te soldiers who participated in the Gallipoli

campaign where not members of the Rarotongan

Contingents, rather they were individuals who left

the Cook Islands or where resident in New Zealand

when they enlisted.

FOUR COOK ISLANDS SOLDIERSWHO WEN O GALLIPOLI

As ANZAC Day approaches many families reflect upon the service

of Pacific Islanders in the New Zealand Army in WWI.

Four soldiers from the Cooks faced the harshness

and privations on this campaign, they are:

2/1882 Sydney James Davis was born in New

Zealand but in 1915 he was employed as a fruiter

in Rarotonga.

Davis left his New Zealand wife and two year old

daughter in Rarotonga and enlisted in the New

Zealand Field Artillery in April 1915 aged 25 years.

He arrived at ANZAC Cove in November 1915 and

returned to Egypt on December 22, 1915.

After this service he was declared medically unfit

and returned to New Zealand in 1916 and was

discharged from the Army. He died in Auckland in

1938. No photo of this soldier is known.

16/398 e Aurahi Kora was married with one

child and employed in Wanganui, New Zealand

prior to enlistment on 20/10/1914.

He stated that his next of kin was his father Kora

of Aitutaki.

A group of Cook Islanders of the 1st Rarotongan Contingent and Niuen soldiers at Narrow Neck

Camp on the North Shore of Auckland, undergoing training in 1916 as part of the 3rd Māori

Reinforcement Contingent. Tese soldiers left New Zealand for Egypt on February 5, 1916.


19/40



He enlisted into the New Zealand Native

Contingent and sailed for Egypt in early 1915

and in May 1915 was on the Island of Malta

performing garrison duties. Due to the heavy

casualties sustained by the New Zealand

Forces on the Gallipoli peninsular, the Native

Contingent who had changed its name to the

Māori Contingent, was called for and employed as

reinforcements for the Infantry Battalions.

He arrived at ANZAC Cove early July 1915 and

remained there in the front line until he was

admitted to hospital sick on the Island of Mudros

in October 1915. In April 1916 he left Egypt for

France with the Pioneer Battalion.

At some time in his service he was wounded, and

whilst this is acknowledged in his records no date

is provided. Later in 1916 he was graded unfit due

to sickness and returned to New Zealand on the

Hospital Ship “Maheno”.

In January 1917 he had a shell splinter removed

from left knee in Wanganui hospital and was

discharged no longer fit in March 1917. He died

14/6/1961. No photo of this soldier is known.

13/110 Harry Cuthebert Northcroft lived with

his parents in Rarotonga. He returned to New

Zealand to enlist in the Army in August 1914 into

the Auckland Mounted Rifles. He sailed from New

Zealand with the first troops in September 1914

and arrived at Suez in early December 1914.

He arrived at Gallipoli on May 12, 1915 and was

killed in action on May 19, 1915 and is buried at

Walkers Ridge Cemetery ANZAC Cove. No photo

of this soldier is known.

12/1812 George uaine was a seaman in the

Union Steam Ship Company and enlisted into

the 1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment at

rentham Camp in December 1914. Interestingly

he stated he was born at ‘Aitutaki New Zealand’,

presumably so he would not be sent to join the

New Zealand Native Contingent that was being

formed in Auckland although he stated that his

next of kin, his father was a resident of Aitutaki.

He sailed for Gallipoli from Alexandria on April 12,

1915 and landed at ANZAC Cove April 25, 1915.

He was wounded with shrapnel to his left thigh

and admitted to 17th General Hospital on May 19,

1915. He was then evacuated by hospital ship to

the Glymenopouls Hospital in Alexandria from

early June to late June 1915.

On discharge from hospital he was employed to

assist in his recovery as a storeman at the New

Zealand Advance Base Mustapha in Alexandra

from the end of June 1915 to February 1916 when

he rejoined his Battalion in Egypt.

He transferred from Auckland Infantry Battalion

to the newly formed Pioneer Battalion, which was

predominantly about 50 per cent made up from

the Native Māori Contingent, then embarked for

France in April 1916. He contracted pleurisy in

October 1917 and was evacuated for treatment

to the New Zealand Hospital at Brockhurst in

the United Kingdom, and later the New Zealand

Convalescent Hospital at Hornchurch. Upon

his returned to France in May 1917 he was

compulsory transferred as it had been decided to

transfer all Pacific Islanders from the harsh climate

of France to Egypt. He was assigned to the Base

Camp of the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade

at Moasar before being posted to the New Zealand

Rarotongan Company in Palestine in July 1918.

He returned to New Zealand with all the Pacific

Islanders who were serving in the Middle East on

the SS Malta and was discharged in New Zealand

on March 7, 1919. Subsequently he re-enlisted for

Home Service in Auckland in August 1919, but his

discharge date is not known. His date and place of

death is not known nor is any photo available.

Te researchers are keen to ensure that all the documentation,

diaries and photographs are recorded to ensure that this essential

service of islanders is not lost. Further information can be obtained

or contributions made, at www.Soldiersfromthepacific.com


20/40



100 YEARS AGO

Cook Islands and Niuean men volunteered for service in the First World

War soon after the war began, but their offer was initially turned down...

Te unit they would later be assigned to – the

New Zealand Māori Contingent, later called the

Māori Pioneer Battalion – was already filled with

volunteers. However when it suffered heavy

casualties in the bloody fighting at Gallipoli and

recruiting in New Zealand couldn’t keep up, the

authorities turned to the two island countries for

support.

Forty-five men enlisted from the Cook Islands and

150 from Niue, they underwent initial training

in New Zealand before being sent off to Egypt for

further training and to join the New Zealand Māori

Pioneer Battalion.

Te attempt to capture Gallipoli, which began

today – 25 April – exactly a hundred years ago,

was a disaster; and after eight months of heavy

loss of life on both sides, the allies secretly andsuccessfully withdrew under cover of darkness.

Te Māori Contingent – which was the original

name of the New Zealand Māori unit – was not

meant to be a fighting force. Te British authorities

– did not think it was appropriate for ‘coloured

troops’ to be fighting white men. Instead the Māori

were expected to perform garrison duties guarding

places behind the lines, and carrying out other

non-combat roles.

But with mounting casualties at Gallipoli, and

continued nagging by Māori leaders of the New

Zealand government, and that nagging being

passed on to the British – the Māori unit was

landed at Gallipoli and went into action in August

1915. Tey acquitted themselves well in their

first battle, charging the urkish trench they were

sent to capture with fixed bayonets. But they

paid a high price, 17 dead and 89 wounded. Tey

were part of the battle that captured Chunuk Bair

the highest point the allies ever took but later

lost. In all 461 men and 16 officers of the Māori

Contingent were landed at Gallipoli; when they left

four months later they were down to 132 men and

two officers.

Te reconstituted Māori Pioneer Battalion with

Niuean and Cook Island reinforcements was sent

to northern France in April 1916. After being

fighting men for a few months at Gallipoli, the

Māori – New Zealand and Cook Islands – some

Pakeha and a few other Pacific islanders, reverted

to their ‘Pioneer’ role basically military ‘labourers’.

Teir job was to dig and repair trenches and make

roads and light railways to facilitate military

traffic. It wasn’t a soft job; most of the work was

conducted at night and often under fire. Tey

regularly suffered casualties, medals were awarded

for their bravery and they were highly thought of

for their work.

As well as the deprivations and shelling and the

general dangers of warfare, for the pacific island

soldier’s army life brought other tribulations

too. Many of them struggled with the poor

military diet. Wearing boots for men used to

going barefooted was a trial, being exposed to

new European diseases for which they had no

immunity, laid many low; having little or no

English language was also a major difficulty. And

the very cold weather was too much for many of

them. Within a month of arriving in France, 82% of

the Niueans were hospitalised and eventually had

to be withdrawn, first to England and then back to

New Zealand; many died from illness and disease.


21/40



A smaller number of Cook Islanders were affected

by the conditions, and the troops already in France

stayed with the Māori Pioneer Battalion; but it was

decided that no further Pacific Island troops would

be sent to France. Instead they went to the Middle

East to serve in a unit called the Rarotongan

Company attached to British troops in Sinai and

Palestine, acting as ammunition carriers and

supporting British heavy artillery.

In each theatre

whether in

Europe or the

Middle East

they served with

distinction.

A Cook Islands

soldier – Sgt Pa

George Karika –

was awarded the

Distinguished

Conduct Medal;

the highest award

an enlisted man

can win short of

a Victoria Cross.

Te citation

awarding the

DCM says it was

for, “conspicuous

gallantry and

devotion to

duty while in

command of a platoon.”

His DCM was the highest award to a Pacific Island

soldier in Word War One – but other soldiers were

also decorated for their bravery too.

Pa George was hospitalised late in 1918 and

returned home.

In February 1918, the remaining Cook Islanders

serving with the Pioneer Battalion in France

were reunited with their fellow countrymen in

the Rarotongan Company in Palestine; when the

last reinforcement of Cook Islanders arrived from

New Zealand in August 1918 it took the company

strength to 280 men.

Later that year they returned to New Zealand, but

because of the influenza pandemic which was

sweeping the world, they were quarantined on

Somme’s Island in Wellington harbour until 1919.

When their quarantine

ended most of them

returned home to the

Cook Islands.

Pa George Karika had towait until 1921 before

his Distinguished

Conduct Medal was

presented to him at a

ceremony in Rarotonga.

But that didn’t bring to

a close his soldiering

days, during World

War wo he was back

in harness again as a

member of the Cook

Islands Local Defence

Force.

Over the course of the

First World War Māori

enlisted in a number

of regional Battalions,

but 2227 served in thetwo dedicated Māori units along with 458 Pacific

Island troops; 336 of them died and 734 were

wounded.

It was called ‘the war to end all wars’, but just 21

years later World War wo broke out with largely

the same combatants lined up against each other.

Cook Islanders answered the call then too –

but that’s another story.

Clipping from the Melbourne Herald newspaper


22/40



Name Number Rank Date of Death Where buried

Adam, Kiro Luke 16/1007 Private 7.10.1917 New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium

Anthony, Manuel 16/1182 Corporal 10.5.1917 O’Neill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland

Arii, Ara 16/1139 Private 24.8.1916 Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, France

Banaba, Beni 19236 Sergeant 16.9.1917 O’Neill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland

Inga 16/1184 Private 12.12.1918 Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel

Kamati 16/1185 Private 4.10.1918 Gaza War Cemetery, Palestine

Mataiti, Kai 19250 Private 16.2.1918 Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel

Matapo, Kaka 60713 Private 14.8.1919 Featherston Camp Cemetery, Featherston

Mataputa 16/1213 Private 5.3.1916 O’Neill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland

Matau, Manavaroa 16/1189 Private 29.8.1916 Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France

Ngaia, Kapao 19281 Corporal 29.10.1917 Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt

Ngaipu, Ingatu 84503 Private 10.11.1918 O’Neill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland

Pirangi 19296 Private 14.10.1916 O’Neill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland

Rota, Rota 60754 Private 16.1.1919 At sea. Karori Memorial Arch, Wellington

Ruka, Willie 19303 Private 28.1.1917 Rookwood Necropolis Cemetery, Sydney

Solomona, Peter 16/1196 Lance-Corpl 3.4.1917 Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland

apapa, Akava 19239 Private 19.10.1918 Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt

aringa 16/1199 Private 15.8.1916 rois Arbres Cemetery, France

aura 16/1202 Private 7.1.1917 Walton-on-Tames Cemetery, England

eipo, Pai 84543 Private 10.2.1919 O’Neill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland

eiva, eaumarae 19234 Private 14.9.1916 O’Neill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland

epuretu, Apu 16/1222 Private 30.9.1916 Quarry Cemetery Montauban, France

ete, Nikau 19284 Private 12.10.1918 Kantara War Memorial cemetery, Egypt

utavake, R. 16/1220 Private 15.10.1918 Gaza War Cemetery, Palestine

Vavia, W. 16/1203 Private 1.10.1916 Flatiron Copse Cemetery, France

Wycliffe, Peau 84501 Private 27.3.1919 O’Neill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland

Tis list was compiled from information on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

ROLL OF HONOURHE SOLDIERS WHO LOS HEIR LIVES IN SERVICE

Tis Roll of Honour is limited to men from the Cook Islands who served

in the contingents formed on these islands.


23/40



AAURK RIBUEGALLIPOLI MEMORIAL A ANZAC COVE

“Tose heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives…

You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.

Terefore rest in peace. Tere is no difference between the

Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by

side here in this country of ours…

You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway

countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in

our bosom and are in peace, after having lost their lives on

this land they have become our sons as well.”

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,

First President of the Republic of urkey, 1934


24/40



APU EPUREU

First Cook Islands soldier to die in Active Service (one of 2 brothers)

– death notice


25/40



JOHN APA

Citation re being awarded a Military Medal


26/40



Private aringa MatengaReg No. 16/1199

Māori Contingent Rarotongans, attached A Company

Private aringa was the first Cook Islander to die while on

active service overseas. He died from disease in France on 15

August 1916, nearly 3 years to the day the last Cook Islander

died. He is buried at the rois Arbres Cemetery, France.

“Ka ‘akama’ara ua rae tatao ia ratou”

WE REMEMBER HEM

Corporal Ropu JohnReg No. 16/1194

Māori Contingent

Rarotongans, attached A Company

Embarkation Date 5 February 1916.

Sergeant Major Carl MarstersReg No. 19237

Māori Contingent

11th Reinforcements, Rarotongans

Embarkation Date 16 November 1916

Died on 1 June 1953 in the Cook Islands

Military Awards

British War Medal (1914-1920)

Victory Medal

Private Mare AmoaFrom Ngatangiia, Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

Body on Embarkation - Māori Contingent

Embarkation Unit - 3rd Rarotongan Contingent

Private Mare Amoa died in Rarotonga on

19 February 1945


27/40



WE REMEMBER HEM

Clockwise from top-left:

Private Martin Mitchell, Reg No. 60682

Photo of Pa George Karika, Iaveta Karika,

and Piat M. Mani

Private William Caffery was the husband

of Rongomate, Mangaia, Cook Islands.

He was killed in action in Somme, France,30 September 1916.

Cook Islands soldiers Apu epuretu, Anthony

Manuel, Angene Angene and Raitia epuretu.

Tis photo was taken at Narrow Neck raining

Camp in Devonport Auckland prior to

embarkation.

Corporal Angene Angene World War I, 1914-1918

Lestwe

Forget


28/40



GRAVES OF SOME OF OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS

Private Kaka Matapo


Embarkation Unit - 3rd Rarotongan Contingent

Embarkation Date - 13 June 1918

Te youngest known Cook Islander to have served

during WW1 was Private Kaka Matapo, listed as

being age 18 on his headstone. If this is true it means

that he was only16 when recruited. His personal

records state that he was around 19 years old.

Matapo is buried with other service personal

in a part of the cemetery dedicated to military

personal, probably due to the fact that there was

a large military camp in Featherston, Waiararapa

NZ during the Great War, which had a hospital,

attached to it.

Matapo had served in Egypt and had been

returned to New Zealand aboard the hospital ship

Malta in January 1919. He died of uberculosis

(B) on the 14 August 1919, the last serving Cook

Islander to do so.

Gaza War Cemetery, Israel


29/40



GRAVES OF SOME OF OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS

Private Kamate Mamanu - above Private Kamate Mamanu served with New Zealand

Pioneer Battalion in France and Palestine where

he died from disease on the 4th of October 1918 at

the youthful age of 26. Gaza War Cemetery, Israel

Corporal Manuel Anthony - left


Embarkation Unit - Rarotongans, attached

A Company

Embarkation Date - 5 February 1916

Age on Enlistment - 21

Military Awards - British War Medal (1914-1920)

- Victory Medal

Corporal Manuel Anthony died from Phthisis and

tuberculosis in the Auckland hospital on 10 May

1917. He is buried at O’Neill’s Point Cemetery

Bayswater North Shore Auckland.

Private utavake - below

Private utavake was the son of Mrs Raa Vaine

from Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

Private utavake served in the New Zealand

Pioneer Battalion, he died from disease on the

15th of October 1918.


30/40



WAR MEMORIALS

Unveiling of the

Cook Islands

soldiers’ memorial,

Avarua, Rarotonga,

5 May 1926.

Below - Te

memorial today


31/40



WAR MEMORIALS

Left - War memorial commemorating the men of

Atiu Island in the Cook Islands who served with

the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF)

during the First World War.

Private Rota Rota

Reg No. 60754

Private Rota Rota, was from the Island of

Pukapuka.

Private Rota was aboard the hospital ship Malta,

he died from B on the 6th January 1919, at sea

en route back to New Zealand.

Private Rota was the only other Cook Islander to

die before returning to the Cook Islands at the

end of the war

“Ka akamaára ua rae tatou ia ratou”

Wellington Provincial War Memorial Karori Cemetery.


32/40



During the Second World War Anzac Daycontinued to be observed in Rarotonga with a

church service, but there were no ceremonial

parades. Tese were resumed after the war with

observances that followed the format in New

Zealand. A dawn service at the cenotaph was

followed by a mid-morning church service and

then a march

of returned

servicemen and

other community

groups to the

war memorial for

a short service

and the laying of

wreaths. A bus

made a circuit

of Rarotonga

collecting

servicemen for the

observance.

In 1965 the Cook

Islands achieved

self government. Early the following year the

Premier, Albert Henry, informed New Zealand’s

Department of Island erritories in Wellington

that his government planned to limit Anzac Day

observance to the morning of 25 April and allow

sporting fixtures to take place in the afternoon.

Te reply from Wellington confirmed that this was

the pattern being adopted in New Zealand: picture

theatres would be open in the afternoon and

sports fixtures arranged. ‘Next year much broader

liberalisation of Anzac Day has been approved by

the RSA. It is now over to Parliament to ensure

that this is so by passing the necessary legislation.’

In the Cook Islands a Cabinet minute of 21 April1966 declared that Anzac Day would be observed

as a Sunday until 1 p.m., after which it would be an

ordinary public holiday. In 1967 the Cook Islands

News reported on an Anzac Day cricket match.

Poppy Day was also introduced at this time, on the

Friday before Anzac Day.

From the 1960s

there were repeated

unsuccessful

attempts to obtain

funding from

New Zealand for

the improvement

and upkeep of

the servicemen’s

cemetery on a plot

of Crown land near

the internationalairport. Tis

cemetery was

used mainly for

New Zealand ex-

servicemen who had moved to the Cook Islands

in retirement or to work for the Administration.

In the 1980s there were requests for help to

turn this area into a lawn cemetery and to build

RSA clubrooms. Men from the United Kingdom,

Canada, Australia and the United States were

also buried here. Cook Islanders from the First

World War contingents were buried on family

land in accordance with local custom, or in service

cemeteries in New Zealand if they had emigrated.

‘Te growth of Anzac Day’, URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/

anzac-day-pacific/growth-of-anzac-day, (Ministry for Culture and

Heritage), updated 3-Sep-2014

Returned servicemen marching during an Anzac Day parade in

Rarotonga, early 1970s. Included in this group are Araitia epuretu,

Ngarea iti, Vaevae amarua, Reboama, amaiva Ironui, angiia,

J.D. Campbell, and Jim eruaa’u.

HE GROWH OF ANZAC DAY COOK ISLANDS


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Tere was a unique change of programme in

the House of Representatives this morning. Te

hustled legislation and the end of the session

rush were for the time forgotten as the politicians

and those engaged in the precincts of the house

witnessed a most unusual and striking spectacle.

Te occasion was a welcome to 45 natives of

the South sea Islands, mostly Rarotongans who

have left their islands of “the Blest” for the stern

realities of warfare.

Te Islanders, prior to the ceremony, attracted a

good deal of attention and caused a large amount

of conjecture as they marched through Wellington

singing “ipperary” and Are We Downhearted?”

in their native tongue. A drizzling rain did not

dampen their light-heartedness, although they had

not topcoats and wore white canvas shoes.

Te most noteworthy features of their dress were

the shells evidently charms, which they wore

round their necks.

When the Islanders reached Parliament House they

were marched into the Chamber and lined up in a

semi-circle round the back of the members seats.

Tey melodiously sang a native Rarotongan war song

after which they were addressed by the Hon JamesAllen, Minister of Defence, through an interpreter.

Mr Allen said that the men were gathered not

only from Rarotonga, but from several of the Cook

Islands, and as far afield as ahiti. Tey had come

to join hands with their Māori brothers in New

Zealand, and would go into camp at Auckland

to prepare themselves to go to the front to fight

alongside the Māoris and pakehas for the Flag

which represented to them and to us freedom.

Māori, Niuean and Cook Island soldiers enjoy a day’s

swimming in the sea off Narrow Neck camp in

Auckland, 1916.

A tuneful ditty, “Here We Are, Here We Are, Here

We Are Again.” was sung in excellent English by

the Islanders. Te Māori members A.. Ngata,

C. Parata and au Henare briefly addressed the

guests in Māori, and their remarks were listenedto with close attention. Te small coterie of Native

members then danced a Māori haka with much

grimace and great enthusiasm, making the floor of

the building tremble.

Te Speaker of the House Mr F.W. Lang delivered

a brief address of welcome. Te Polynesians

sang “ipperary “in their own language, and after

the Speakers address “God Save the King “was

fervently sung by pakeha and natives alike. Te

ceremony concluded with cheers for the Empire,

the Parliament Ministers of the Crown, and the

Rarotongans.

Te Islanders who arrived by the Moana this

morning will leave for the Narrow Neck training

camp in Auckland tonight by the Main runk

express.

Source National Library of NZ

OUR ROOPS VISIHE HOUSE OF REPRESENAIVES

EARLY OCOBER 1915


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It was a poem by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae,

a Canadian medical officer, which began the

process by which the Flanders’ Poppy became

immortalised worldwide as the symbol of

remembrance.

Te inspiration for the poem had been the burial

of a fellow officer during the Second Battle of Ypres

in early May 1915. McCrae’s verses, which hadbeen scribbled in pencil on a page torn from his

dispatch book, were sent anonymously by a fellow

officer to the English magazine, Punch, which

published them under the title In Flanders Fields

on 8 December 1915. Subsequently, the poem was

published around the world to much acclaim and

is one of the most memorable and moving poems

of the Great War.

HISORY OF HE POPPY

Te use of the red poppy – the Flanders’ Poppy – as a symbol of remembrance

derives from the fact that the poppy was the first plant to re-emerge from

the churned up soil of soldiers’ graves during the First World War.

Te Challenge

Tree years later, McCrae himself died of

pneumonia at Wimereux near Boulogne, France,

on 28 January 1918. On his deathbed, McCrae

reportedly lay down the challenge:

“ell them this, if ye break faith with us who die,

we shall not sleep.”

Te Response

Among the many people moved by McCrae’s poem

a YMCA canteen worker in New York, Miss Moina

Michael (1869-1944), who, two days before the

Armistice was signed on 11 November 1918, wrote

a reply entitled ‘We Shall Keep the Faith’:

“We Shall Keep the Faith”

Oh! You who sleep in Flanders Fields,

Sleep sweet-to rise anew!

We caught the torch you threw

And holding high, we keep the Faith

With all who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red

Tat grows on fields where valour led;

It seems to signal to the skiesTat blood of heroes never dies,

But lends a lustre to the red

Of the flower that blooms above the dead

In Flanders Fields.

And now the orch and Poppy red

We wear in honour of our dead.

Fear not that ye have died for naught;

We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought

In Flanders Fields.

Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae


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Michael also originated the idea of the red poppy

as a symbol of remembrance.

Origins of the Memorial Poppy

Te idea for the Flanders Fields Memorial Poppy,

Moina Michael recalled in her 1941 book TeMiracle Flower, came to her while working at the

YMCA Overseas War Secretaries’ Headquarters

on a Saturday morning, 9 November 1918. Te

wenty-Fifth Conference of the Overseas YMCA

War Secretaries was in progress. During a lull in

proceedings Moina glanced through a copy of the

November Ladies Home Journal and came across

McCrae’s poem re-titled “We Shall Not Sleep”. Te

last few lines transfixed her:

o you from failing hands we throw

Te torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Moina Michael hereafter made a personal pledge

to ‘keep the faith’ and vowed always to wear

a red poppy of Flanders Fields as a symbol ofremembrance. Compelled to make a note of

this pledge she hastily scribbled her response,

entitled “We Shall Keep the Faith”, on the back of

a used envelope.

When the Conference delegates gave Moina a gift

of ten dollars in appreciation of her assistance,

she went to a New York department store and

purchased 25 artificial red poppies and, pinning

one on her own collar, distributed the remainder to

the YMCA secretaries with an explanation of her

motivation. She viewed this act as the first group

distribution of the Flanders Fields Memorial Poppy.

Moina Michael hereafter tirelessly campaigned

to get the poppy adopted as a national symbol of

remembrance. In September 1920 the American

Legion adopted the Poppy as such at its annual

Convention. Attending that Convention was

a French woman who was about to promote

the poppy — as a symbol of remembrance —

throughout the world.

International Symbol of Remembrance

French widows, many with children on their laps,hand-making hundreds of thousands of poppies

in the early 1920s for distribution to veterans

organisations around the world, including the RSA.

Madame E. Guérin, conceived the idea of widows

manufacturing artificial poppies in the devastated

areas of Northern France which then could be sold

by veterans’ organisations worldwide for their own

veterans and dependants as well as the benefit

of destitute French children. Troughout 1920-

21, Guérin and her representatives approached

veteran organisations’ in the United States,

Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and

urged them to adopt the poppy as a symbol of

remembrance.

It was as a result of the efforts of Michael

and Guérin — both of whom became known

endearingly as the “Poppy Lady” — that the poppybecame an international symbol of remembrance.

Dr Stephen Clarke is the Official Historian and

Commemorations Officer for the Royal New Zealand

Returned and Services’ Association.

References

Dianne Graves, A Crown of Life: Te World of

John McCrae (London: Spellmount, 1997)

Moina Michael, Te Miracle Flower: Te Story of

the Flanders Fields Memorial Poppy (Philadelphia:

Dorrance & Co., 1941)


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MOEROA BEN’S WINNING SPEECH

Nelson Mandela once said, “Our lives begin to

end the day we become silent about the thingsthat matter”. My name is Moeroa Ben. oday

silence will not exist. oday we speak, not only

to remember but to feel the presence of those

who sacrificed their lives to save our future,

to remember those that matter. Tey were our

brothers, they were our fathers, they were our

soldiers and they were our blood.

However, I will ask, was their sacrifice worth it?

480 men from this Pacific Nation, specifically the

Cook Islands, volunteered to serve under the New

Zealand Expeditionary Force in the year 1915, one

year after the establishment of the Great War. Tey

were split into five contingents in which three

received the opportunity to serve overseas and two

reached as far as New Zealand.

As I stood in the midst of names printed on

the walls of the Returned Services Association

building situated across from the Rarotonga

Airport in Nikao, my heart broke. Names. Familiarnames such as the eava family, a member from

the Iro family and also another member from

the Angene family were imprinted on these very

walls. Tese weren’t just names, these were people.

Tese were the very people who once walked our

shores and I assume worked the fields to produce

crops to support their families. Tese were people

who ensured the freedom and luxury we are

experiencing today is exactly what we received.

• Private M. Kamate, service number 161184

died abroad from sickness.

• Sargent Raitia epuretu, service number

161200 was wounded in action.

• Private . Pai, service number 161219, death

unknown.

Tese were a few men who sailed from Rarotonga

on September 1915. Tey were a part of the

Te ANZAC Day secondary schools

competition was run by the New

Zealand High Commission, in

partnership with the Cook Islands

RSA, the Cook Islands Police Service,

and the Ministry of Education.

It was held as part of events to commemorate

the 100 year anniversary of WWI and celebrate

the 50th anniversary of Cook Islands self-

government in free association with New

Zealand. Te competition aimed to encourage and

inspire the creative talents of young people and

provide a platform for students to develop theirunderstanding of the significance of ANZAC Day.

Six students competed in the event held on 12

March at Nikao Hall in Avarua, with all delivering

world class speeches. Te judges had a hard task

but Moeroa Ben’s speech won by unanimous

decision after impressing her audience with a

powerful and emotive description of the impact of

WWI on the Cook Islands, and what that meant for

her as a youth growing up in the Cook Islands today.

Was it worth it?

WORLD WAR ONE AND HE LEGACY OF SACRIFICE

Moeroa Ben | NCEA L3


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first contingent who served in Egypt, France and

Palestine. Teir sacrifice is one I will not forget. It’s

one that can never be forgotten. Te question here

is, why were they so adamant to volunteer? Was

their involvement, their sacrifice worth it?

Tey sacrificed their lives for their family. Tey

sacrificed their lives for their nation and theysacrificed their lives for the future, to ensure the

sustainability of this nation, our nation. I will ask

again, was their sacrifice worth it? If they didn’t

pursue to serve with the NZEF, if ever we were to

get infiltrated by other nations, there is certainty

that we wouldn’t have any support at all. Why? It

is because an ideology of this world is based on

the actions of giving and receiving. In order to gain

support from anyone, any group or organization,

you must ensure you offer support. 480 men from

our paradise kept that in mind.

Tey guaranteed the security of our nation

through sacrificing their life and supporting a fight

that never was theirs. Tat is their legacy. Until this

day, their legacy remains. Many Pacific Islanders

join the New Zealand Army to maintain the legacy

of our forefathers and to honour their memory.

So yes, their sacrifice was more than worth it.

ANZAC Day is a day to remember. oday, we must

remember. People need to remember the legacy,

and the sacrifice our fathers, sons, uncles, brothers

and cousins made because they were our soldiers

who gave up everything for us, we were their

future and we were their motivation.

I am a proud participant of the Girls Brigade whotakes part every year with the commemoration

parade which occurs in the heart of Avarua, in

front of Ministry of Justice. I stand amongst many

who cry for the lives that were lost and I stand

amongst many who respect the decisions our

soldiers made and are very grateful for it. I stand

amongst many who remember. Lest we forget.

Kia Mau te Selenga

Kia Mau tena Penga

Kia Mau

e Ra E… Hi!


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENS

Tank you for all the support

Alexander urnbull Library

Auckland Museum Cenotaph

Auckland War Memorial Museum

Mrs Annie Caffery Petaia

CISWWO Facebook

Mr Derek Fox

Ms Edna orea-Allan

National Library of New Zealand

New Zealand History (www.nzhistory.net.nz)

Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association

Mr ekeu Framhein

Mr uoro Henry Wichman


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