Debs McS. of Paihia contacted MRNZ with a message saying that whilst helping a friend sort her late step-father’s belongings, in a box that was destined for the Op Shop, she spotted a well- worn red covered book, somewhat the worse for wear and with no indication of what it was about. On opening the book cover she saw the title “28 (Maori) Battalion” by J.F. Cody. Debs said her husband’s grandfather** had also served with 28 (Maori) Battalion, in D Company. Her interest in the book was further piqued when she saw the sticker on the reverse of the front cover. It was a dedication made out to “Mrs B.N. Harawene”, the wife of 39322 Sergeant Hone Hapa HARAWENE – A Company, 28 (Maori) Battalion. Debs said she had felt sad that the book had become separated from its family. “I know my husband’s family cherishes their Battalion memorabilia so I hoped I could reunite the book with someone who will cherish it too.” With that Debs took the book home with her. Having had no success in finding the descendant family of Sgt Harawene, Debs contacted MRNZ for help to find a descendant or alternatively, a suggestion to where it could best be placed.
Note: ** 808554 PTE Barney Hapi SMITH – D Company, 28 (Maori) Bn – Oputama
SULLIVAN ~HARAWENE
As the family story goes, all the children of this family were bought up with the Anglicised version of their father’s Harawene family name – Sullivan. The name had its origin with their Irish born great-great grandfather Charles Baldwin William SULLIVAN (bc1800), a whaler who had married Nga Puhi wahine named Parehuia (bc1802).
Hone Harawene’s parents were Turi Kauhoa HARAWENE (1892-1969) and Raiha HAPA (1890-1957, ka Eliza/Elizabeth nee SHEPHERD) lived in the Far North around the Bay of Islands. They raised a family of eight, the eldest Isobell SULLIVAN [Ihipera Harawene / SMITH] (1913-1996), being born at Ruapekapeka. Her brother John was then born at Karetu as were the remainder of the Sullivan whanau.
- John Shepherd SULLIVAN (1915-1943)
A second sister, Maria SULLIVAN [Pori Harawene / HAKARIA] (1916-2000)
- Johnson SULLIVAN (1917-1942)
- Lou SULLIVAN (1920-1980)
- Massey SULLIVAN (1922-2002)
- Pat SULLIVAN [Nohotu Wahanui Harawaene] (1923-1994)
- Hikuwai Whareumu SULLIVAN [Harawene] (1930-2010)
- Private
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Military Service
A quick review of Sgt. Harawene’s service in 28 (Maori) Battalion showed that John (Hone), a married man, had been Killed in Action in Tunisia on 20 April 1943. But that wasn’t all. His brother Lou (Rutene) Sullivan (23), single, had also served as 67618 Pte. Rutene (Ru/Lou) Hare Hauraki HARAWENE – both brothers in A Company of the battalion. But there was more …. a little more digging revealed two more brothers who joined the 28th as later reinforcements, but also served in A Company. Why it was not immediately apparent these two had also served as both had been enlisted by their Anglicised surnames – 801762 Pte. Massey Turi SULLIVAN and 26035 Pte. Johnson SULLIVAN. Johnson (24) and Massey (20) were both single men, Johnson a Slaughterman who worked with brother Hone at Moerewa, while Massey anad Rutene were Labourers.
28 (Maori) Battalion
When war was declared in September 1939, telegrams from Maori leaders offering volunteers for both home defence and overseas service reached Parliament soon after war was announced. Maori requests for their own military unit followed.
After much discussion by Maori parliamentarians and tribal elders of how such a unit should be structured, the government agreed to the proposal.
The 28th (Maori) Battalion was formed in October, drawn up on racial lines and organised on a tribal basis. The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945 described its formation as follows:
The battalion’s tribal based organisation saw the men from North Auckland (the Ngapuhi and subtribes) were marched into A Company lines; B Company received the men from Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, and the Thames–Coromandel areas, mostly from the Arawa confederation and Tuhoe tribes; C Company comprised the tribes of the East Coast from south of Gisborne to the East Cape, Ngatiporou, Rongowhakaata, and sub-tribes; D Company, unlike the others, which were from compact areas with a closely-knit tribal organisation, extended from the Waikato–Maniapoto confederation area south of Auckland and included the Taranaki tribes, the Ngati Kahungunu of Hawke’s Bay–Wairarapa, the Wellington Province, the whole of the South Island, the Chathams and Stewart Island, and odd men from the Pacific Islands.
The government also decided to keep Maori enlistment voluntary after conscription was introduced at the end of May 1940.
The “Div” (2nd NZ Division) – 2NZEF
The 2nd NZ Division was made up of 15,000-20,000 men, divided into three infantry brigades (4th, 5th and 6th Brigades), plus artillery, engineers, signals, medical and service units. Each brigade initially had three infantry battalions (numbered from 18th to 26th).
The 28th (Maori) Battalion was a specially formed battalion that was at times attached to each of the Division’s three brigades. Each battalion was commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel.
Like the other infantry battalions, the Maori Battalion was divided into five Companies: four rifle companies of about 125 men each and a headquarters (HQ) Company of around 200 men. Each company was commanded by a Major or Captain. The Battalion’s four rifle companies (named A, B, C and D) were organised along tribal lines, while HQ Company drew its personnel from all over Maoridom.
Each rifle company was divided into three Platoons led by a Lieutenant. Each platoon was in turn made up of three Sections of about 10 men in each, led by a non-commissioned officer (NCO). HQ Company was made up of six Specialist Platoons: signals, anti-aircraft, mortars, bren-gun carriers, pioneers and transport.
Deployment of 2NZEF
The 2nd NZEF was made up of three Echelons of about 6000 troops each of which would leave New Zealand on staggered dates to accommodate the establishment of the Divisional base camp in North Africa.
Selected officers and NCOs of 28 (Maori) Battalion were trained at Trentham in early November 1939 with the Battalion being assembled for the first time at Palmerston North on 26 January 1940.
The 1st Echelon of 2NZEF comprising the NZ Divisional Headquarters and the Main Body (selected battalions and support elements) departed from Aotea Wharf, Wellington on 5 Jan 1940 and landed at Alexandria, Egypt on 7 January and 12 February respectively.
The original members of 28th (Maori) Battalion’s main body embarked as part of 2NZEF’s 2nd Echelon in May 1940.
- 2 May 1940
28 (Maori) Battalion’s main body comprising 681 men of the 2NZEF Main Body (i.e. 39 officers and 642 other ranks), sailed from Wellington for the Middle East in His Majesty’s Troopship (HMT) Aquitania. A course change en route due to enemy submarine threats saw the Aquitainia go via South Africa to England, disembarking at Gourock, Scotland on 16 June 1940. - 16 December 1940
The Advance Party of the 2nd Echelon including 85 members of 2NZEF’s Main Body sailed from Liverpool, England for the Middle East and disembarked at Alexandria, Egypt on 20 February 1941. - 4 January 1941
2NZEF’s Main Body sailed from Liverpool, England on Athlone Castle, disembarked at Port Tewfik on 3 March 1941 and went into camp at Helwan, Egypt.
2NZEF’s 3rd Echelon sailed for the Middle East in August 1940, followed by the 4th Reinforcements in November and the 5th, 6th and 7th Reinforcements in 1941.
Reinforcements
To maintain 2NZEF’s strength throughout the war, especially when heavy losses were suffered, groups of new recruits were regularly sent from New Zealand.
The first Maori reinforcement troops sent overseas to join the 28th were known as the Fourth Maori Reinforcements.
The last troops to embark for overseas duty and see action with the Battalion, part of 2NZEF’s 14th Maori Reinforcements, arrived in Italy in April 1945 (the 15th Reinforcements did not reach Egypt until May 1945, after the war in Europe ended).
War in North Africa
Between 1941 and 1945, New Zealand’s 28 (Maori) Battalion forged an outstanding reputation on the battlefields of Greece, Crete, North Africa and Italy.
In 1941 the battalion left England for North Africa, eventually disembarking at Suez. From Egypt it embarked on its baptism of fire – the defence of Greece. After its first battle at Olympus Pass, the battalion made an exhausting withdrawal, evacuating to the island of Crete. In the Battle of Crete the Māori soldiers developed a reputation as feared opponents in close-quarters combat.
As part of the 5th (NZ) Brigade, 28 (Maori) Battalion fought through the North African campaigns of 1941–43. It was involved in taking Sollum and Gazala in Libya, the breakout at Minqar Qaim in Egypt, and the First Battle of El-Alamein where sadly Pte. Johnson Sullivan (25) was Killed in Action on 5 July 1942.
In April 1943 the battalion faced one of its toughest tests. Against almost overwhelming odds, the battalion had the job of capture two key features in Tunisia. The first was Tebaga Gap which resulted in 2nd Lieut. Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngārimu (C Company)** being posthumously awarded the battalion’s first and only Victoria Cross for his courage and gallantry.
Takrouna, Tunisia
Four weeks later, 28 (Maori) Battalion prepared to advance on another vital objective, the 200m-high rock fortress of Takrouna. This massive pinnacle, dubbed ‘The Rock’, would account for some of the bloodiest hand-to-hand fighting of the desert war. Heavily defended by Italian and German troops, the position was blocking the 8th Army’s drive towards Tunis. After some careful reconnaissance and planning, the assault on the Takrouna fortress was set for the night of April 19.
- A Company (Maj. Porter) was on the right of the Maori front with the job of taking Djebel Bir, a round hill about 500 feet high, not as precipitous as The Rock except on the western side but was known to be well defended.
- C Company (Capt. Awarau) in the centre would advance through the 700-yard gap between Djebel Birand the bottom of Takrouna to the road behind those two features.
- B Company (Capt. Sorensen) on the left would pass through an olive grove before skirting Takrouna and, together with C Company, push through to the road behind. Two sections commanded by Sgt. W. Smith and Sgt. H. Manahi, would detach themselves and create a diversion in front of the steepest part of Takrouna.
- D Company (Capt. Ornberg) would follow the assaulting companies until in a position to attack Takrouna from the more accessible rear.
Zero hour was 2300 (11pm) and the code word ORATION. The attack was launched and predictably was met with heavy resistance. The following day, the 20th, as the battalion pressed home their attack on Takrouna, Sgt. Hone Harawene was killed in the thick of battle as A Company engaged the enemy on the heavily defended Djebel Bir. After three days of fierce fighting, the summit of Takrouna was finally captured and around 300 prisoners** taken. But it had been a costly battle. The battalion’s losses, mostly from land-mines in the cactus fields around the Rock’s lower slopes, were reflected in the casualties: 270 dead and 815 wounded. Of the battalion’s seven commanders, two had been killed and three wounded. Takrouna was the last major action fought by the New Zealand Division during the North African campaign. Had he survived one more day Hone may well have returned to Kawakawa. Sadly, this was not to be.
Sources
Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand; NZ History: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/ National Library of NZ; The official 28th (Māori) Battalion website; Gardiner, Wira. Te mura o te ahi: the story of the Maori Battalion. Auckland: Reed, 1992.
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In total, almost 3600 men served overseas with the Maori Battalion between 1940 and 1945. Of these, 649 were killed in action or died on active service – more than 10% of the 6068 New Zealanders who lost their lives serving with 2NZEF in the Middle East and Europe. In addition, 1712 men were wounded and 237 were prisoners of war.
Of 28 (Maori) Battalion’s prowess in this and other battles of the war, the Commander of the 2nd NZ Division said, ‘no infantry battalion had a more distinguished record, or saw more fighting, or, alas, had such heavy casualties as the Maori Battalion.’ 28 (Maori) Battalion was disbanded in January 1946.
Sgt. Hone Hapa (John Shepherd Sullivan) Harawene’s body was recovered and is now buried in the Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia. He was 28. His brother Johnson Sullivan (25) was buried in the Alamein War Cemetery at El-Alamein, Egypt.
Medals: 1939/45 Star, Africa Star, War Medal 1939/45, NZ War Service Medal + NZ Memorial Cross
Service Overseas: 3 years 100 days
Total 2NZEF Service: 3 years 158 days
~ Ka Mau Te Wehi ~
Harawene taonga reunited
Whilst waiting for the book to arrive I had started some preliminary research while intermittently checking my email and Facebook account. A post on Facebook jumped out at me as I spotted the name “Harawene”. The post had been made by the account owner John Harawene, and so striking while the iron was hot so to speak, I sent John a message asking him if he was related to Hone Hapa Harawene. The answer that came back in short order was affirmative – John in fact was the son of Hone’s brother Massey Harawene, and still resident at the home of his Harawene uncles and ancestors – Keratu. After telling John the story, I contacted Debs to give her the good news – she had not yet sent the book to me – and so I re-directed her to John to make arrangements to send him the book directly as Paihia was barely 20 minutes from Keratu. John is now the proud owner of the book that almost became Paihia op shop fodder – who knows what could have happened to it had Debs not had a keen eye and a sentimental moment that prompted her to rescue it?
Unit histories
Individual Unit Histories of all the major units of the 2NZEF were written by a variety of authours during the 1950s. The books were offered to each man (or their family) by subscription. Each man had to write to the War History Branch with their correct details (name, rank, number, Battalion etc) to order a copy. If their application was accepted the book was free. From that information a Presentation Certificate was typed up fixed onto the inside front cover. A typical battalion print run for the books (e.g. 22nd Battalion’s book) was 2500 copies of which 2,000 were for “departmental purposes” – i.e. pre-orders, review copies (23), gift presentations (such as to Lord Freyberg at Windsor Castle), the free list to ex-members etc and 500 were for sale at seventeen shillings each (abt $80 today).
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Thank you Debs – salvaging this pukapuka has meant the Harawene whanau have a taonga that otherwise could have been lost for ever.
Notes: **
39784 2nd Lieut. Te Moananui-a-Kiwa NGARIMU, VC (Posth) – C Company. On arrival in England with 28 (Maori) Battalion in 1940, Pte. Moana Ngarimu was chosen for intelligence duties, later becoming a Second Lieutenant and a platoon leader in the battalion’s C Company. In February 1943, following the battle of El Alamein and the advance to Tripoli, the battalion was involved in action at Tebaga Gap in Tunisia. The battalion was on the right of the attack and its objective was a hill known as Point 209. It was found to be strongly held by Germans and heavy fire held down the battalion. C Company, under Captain (temp Major) Peta Awatere (later the Bn Cdr), was sent to attack the position. To do this he had to first order an attack on high ground in front of Point 209. The Ngati Porou soldiers called it Hikurangi, after their mountain at home. Ngarimu being one of the platoon leaders was given the job of attacking the hill, which was held in considerable strength by the enemy and defended with intense mortar and machine-gun fire from Point 209.
The battalion commander Lt-Col Charles Bennett wrote of Ngarimu: ‘Displaying courage and leadership of the highest order, he was himself first on the hill crest, personally annihilating at least two enemy machine gun posts’. Two other witnesses attested to his bravery in leading the charge up the hill. Although wounded in the shoulder and one leg, he insisted on staying with his men. Hikurangi was attacked many times during the night but Ngarimu led the defence, driving the attackers back by shooting some with his machine-gun and throwing stones in hand-to-hand combat when weapons were disabled and grenades had run out, and the position was held. On the morning of 27 March 1943 the enemy again counter-attacked and Moana Ngarimu was killed. As he fell, ‘he came to rest almost on the top of those of the enemy who had fallen, the number of whom testified to his outstanding courage’. The Germans on Point 209 surrendered later that day. Ngarimu was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for bravery, determination and outstanding leadership. It was presented to his parents by the governor general, Sir Cyril Newall, at a hui at Ruatoria on 6 October 1943.
39099 L/Sgt. Haane Te Rauawa MANAHI, DCM – B Company. During the battle to take Takrouna over 20/21 April 1943, Lance Sergeant Haane Manahi (Te Arawa) distinguished himself with repeated acts of bravery in the quest to reach the objective – a heavily defended fortress on the summit of the Takrouna pinnacle. At one point in the battle Manahia led a small party of three men up the western side of the pinnacle. In order to reach their objective they had to climb some 500 feet up the lower slopes of the feature under deadly mortar and machine-gun fire – the last 20 feet being an almost sheer cliff face. The area they held was subjected to severe shell fire from the considerable enemy force still holding the Takrouna village on the northern and western slopes of the feature. Manahi’s commanding officer was killed, and he now led the platoon. He and his men held the position, and with rations and ammunition running out, he returned alone to his battalion’s base for further supplies and reinforcements – the whole time under heavy fire. During the afternoon the enemy counter-attacked in force, some of them gaining a foothold. However, in the face of grenades and small-arms fire, Manahi personally led his men against the attackers and after fierce hand-to-hand fighting the enemy were eventually driven off. Shortly after this Manahi’s party was relieved.
On the morning of 21 April the enemy had once more gained a foothold and Manahi led one of two parties which attacked and drove them back, despite concentrated mortar and heavy machine-gun fire. Late in the afternoon Manahi, on his own initiative, led a small party of six round the north-eastern side of the feature and with cool determination captured the enemy’s machine-gun and mortar posts. This courageous action led to the ultimate collapse of the enemy defence and the capture of the whole Takrouna feature, together with over 300 Italian and German prisoners taken and an array of heavy artillery.
The act was described by Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks as ‘the most gallant feat of arms I witnessed in the course of the war’. While a field-marshal and three generals recommended Manahi for the Victoria Cross, this recommendation was changed, and a Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) was awarded instead. It is not known who made this decision, or why. Manahi died in a car crash in 1986. In late 2005 Te Arawa and the RSA supported a case for a posthumous award of the VC. In October 2006, it was announced that Buckingham Palace had agreed to posthumously honour Haane Manahi, but not with a VC. After consultation with the Manahi VC Committee and Te Arawa, it was decided that the award should be inspired by the famous line, ‘For God! For King! And for Country!’ from the marching song of 28 (Maori) Battalion. ‘For God’ was marked by the presentation of an altar cloth for Saint Faith’s Church, near Manahi’s burial place. A letter from the Queen acknowledging Manahi’s bravery represented ‘For King’, and a ceremonial sword presented by the Queen acknowledged ‘For Country’. These were presented to Te Arawa by the Queen’s representative (Duke of York) at a ceremony at Te Papaiouru Marae, Ohinemutu on 17 March 2007.
28 (Maori) Battalion Marching Song
Ake, ake, kia kaha e!
The Maori Battalion marching song became enormously popular with Maori and Pakeha audiences during the Second World War. It was composed in late 1939 by Corporal Anania (Nan) Amohau of Te Arawa. The tune was from an American university tune of the early 1900s, the Washington and Lee Swing. The song soon spread from Te Arawa to become the marching song for the whole battalion.
Source: Te Ara – Dictionary of NZ Biography
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Published Post medal tally is 517 (this figure may fluctuate until the Published Post total exceeds 519).
NB: Items of ephemera returned to families are not included in the reunited medal tally.
Grand Total of medals reunited with families is now 804