Haane Manahi
Haane Te Rauawa Manahi, DCM (28 September 1913 – 29 March 1986) was a Māori soldier from New Zealand. He fought in the Second World War. People wanted him to have the Victoria Cross (VC) for his work in the Tunisia campaign. He got the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), which is lower than the VC.[1] This made other soliders ask for Manahi's work to be more known. In 2007, he was given an award of an altar cloth, a sword to celebrate his work, and a letter from Queen Elizabeth II.[2]
| Haane Te Rauawa Manahi DCM | |
|---|---|
 Haane Manahi in Maadi, Egypt, June 1943 | |
| Born | 28 September 1913 Ohinemutu, New Zealand |
| Died | 29 March 1986 (aged 72) Tauranga, New Zealand |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Service/branch | New Zealand Military Forces |
| Years of service | 1939–1946 |
| Rank | Lance Sergeant |
| Unit | Māori Battalion |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Distinguished Conduct Medal |
Manahi was born in Ohinemutu, New Zealand. He worked in manual labour.[3] In November 1939, he joined the Māori Battalion.[4] In 1941, he was part of the Battle of Greece and fought in the Battle of Crete.[5] He was wounded in the Battle of Crete.[6] After he was better, he fought in the Western Desert and the Tunisian campaign. Some people wanted him to get a VC because of his work at Takrouna. However, he was given a DCM in April 1943.[7][8]
In June 1943, he came back to New Zealand after being gone for 3 months.[9] He did not have to come back to the Māori Battalion if he did not want to.[10] He was given a job as an inspector of traffic in 1946.[11] He died in a traffic collision in 1986.[12] After he died, a committee wanted the New Zealand Government to give him an award. This did not happen because the end of the Second World War was too long ago.[13]
Haane Manahi Media
The upper slopes of Takrouna, Tunisia, on 1 June 1943, with graves in the foreground. This photograph gives an indication of the difficult terrain over which Manahi had led his men
References
- ↑ Moon 2010, p. 120.
- ↑ "Queen recognises Maori soldier's bravery". New Zealand Herald. 17 March 2007. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/queen-recognises-maori-soldiers-bravery/RHKCH5QP3ZPQKKZSECNMXZUVJU/. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
- ↑ Bennett, Norman (2000). "Manahi, Haane Te Rauawa". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture & Heritage. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
- ↑ Moon 2010, p. 27.
- ↑ Moon 2010, pp. 49–50.
- ↑ Moon 2010, pp. 59–60.
- ↑ Moon 2010, p. 119.
- ↑ No. 36102. 22 July 1943. p. 3314. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36102/page/3314
- ↑ Moon 2010, pp. 109–110.
- ↑ McGibbon 2000, p. 189.
- ↑ Moon 2010, pp. 130–131.
- ↑ Moon 2010, pp. 132–133.
- ↑ Harper & Richardson 2016, pp. 268–269.
- Cody, J. F. (1956). 28 Maori Battalion. Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. Wellington, New Zealand: Historical Publications Branch. OCLC 10848095.
- Gardiner, Wira (1992). Te Mura O Te Ahi: The Story of the Maori Battalion. Auckland, New Zealand: Reed Books. ISBN 978-0-7900-0267-5.
- Harper, Glyn; Richardson, Colin (2016). Acts of Valour: The History of the Victoria Cross and New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-1-77554-050-2.
- McGibbon, Ian, ed. (2000). The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History. Auckland, New Zealand: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-558376-2.
- Moon, Paul (2010). Victoria Cross at Takrouna: The Haane Manahi Story. Wellington, New Zealand: Huia Publishers. ISBN 978-1-86969-420-3.
- Pugsley, Christopher (2014). A Bloody Road Home: World War Two and New Zealand's Heroic Second Division. Auckland, New Zealand: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-143-57189-6.