Matenga Baker

Title

Mr

Public - Jody - Direct descendant - 14 April 2021 - Family Whakapapa

Forenames

Matenga AWMM

Surname

Baker AWMM

Also known as

Sonny AWMM

Service number

WWII 817685 AWMM

Gender

• Male AWMM
• Male
  Public - Jody - Direct descendant - 14 April 2021 - Whakapapa

Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe

Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM

Religion

Ringatu

Public - Jody - Direct descendant - 14 April 2021 - Whanau korero

Birth

15 Aug 1921 AWMM

Address before enlistment

WW2 Unknown AWMM Muriwai, Gisborne AWMM

Next of kin

WW2 Miss P. Baker (sister), Muriwai, AWMM

Relationship status

Unknown AWMM Single/WWII AWMM

War

World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

WWII 817685 AWMM

Military training

Home Guard - Muriwai

Public - Jody - Direct descendant - 14 April 2021 - Whanau korero

Enlistment

WW2 Labourer/Civilian AWMM

Occupation before enlistment

Farm Worker in Muriwai

Public - Jody - Direct descendant - 14 April 2021 - Whanau korero

Embarkation details

WW2 Private AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, C Company AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF), 12th Reinforcements AWMM

Medical notes

Died from Natural Causes, Cause of Death AWMM
Died on active service AWMM

Last rank

Temporary Sergeant AWMM
28 (Maori) Battalion, C Company AWMM

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Baker, of Muriwai AWMM

Death

3 Apr 1945 AWMM
Age  23 AWMM

Cause of death

Died from Natural Causes AWMM

Cemetery

Faenza War Cemetery, Italy AWMM VIII. C. 21. AWMM

Obituary

Baker —ln loving memory of our dear brother and cousin. Sergeant Matenga (Sonny), accidentally killed at Faenza, April 3. 1945.
To those who have a brother,
Treasure him with care;
You never know his value.
Till you find he is not there.
—Ever remembered by his sister Pani.
BAKER - He shall not grow old as I grow old,
Age shall not weary him,
Nor the years condemn;
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning I will always remember him. —Inserted by his loving cousin Connie.
Baker.—ln loving memory of our dear brother.
Temp. Sergeant-Major T. Baker (Sonny),
killed in action, Italy, April 3, 1944.
Ever remembered.
—lnserted by Jossie and Tuti Renata (overseas).

Baker.— We think of you in silence,
We often speak your name.
What would we give to hear your voice
And see you smile again.
—Ever remembered by Rata, Mars, and family.

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 25 February 2024 - ROLL OF HONOUR IN MEMORIAM - GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXXIII, ISSUE 21987, 3 APRIL 1946, PAGE 1

Memorial name

Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM

Related objects

External links

• 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
  http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/
  Further Reference
• Cody, J.F. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: War History Branch, Dept. of Internal Affairs.
  http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Maor.html
  Further Reference
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
  https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2236929
  Sources Used
• Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington: Dept. of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. Digital copy.
  https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20210104000423/http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Maor.html
  Further Reference

References

• Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 14 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1944 to 31st December, 1944). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
  WW2 14: WW2 6
• Soutar, M. (2008). Nga tama toa = The price of citizenship : C Company 28 (Maori) Battalion 1939-1945. Albany, N.Z.: David Bateman.
  Portrait published in Soutar (2008)
• Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
• Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139.