From Makarska Kronika 28 August (Kolovoz) 2007

Podgoraninu stigle medalje za hrabrost 90 godina nakon Paschendalea

Autor: Ozren Franic Snimio Leonard Nincevic

Utorak, 28 Kolovoz 2007

Podgoranin, koji je preminuo još 1950. godine i bez imena pokopan na podgorskom groblju, odlikovan je dvjema medaljama za hrabrost, jer se u Prvom svjetskom ratu, u jedinicama novozelandske vojske, borio u Francuskoj i Belgiji od 1916. do 1918. godine, te bio ranjen u cuvenoj bitci kod Paschendalea. Njegov potomak Neven Kokic odlucio je odati pocast pokojnom Josipu, bratu svoga djeda Stjepana

Na splitsku adresu Podgoranina Nevena Kokica nedavno je iz Ministarstva obrane Novog Zelanda pristigla pošiljka stara ravno 90 godina. Radi se o visokim vojnim odlikovanjima iz Prvog svjetskog rata - British War Medal i Victory Medal, za hrabrost pokazanu u najkrvavijim bitkama na zapadnom frontu.

Njihov pravi vlasnik, Josip Kokic, vec 57 godina pociva u zajednickoj grobnici na starom groblju u Podgori, na kojoj mu cak nije ni ime zapisano, no zahvaljujuci zalaganju njegovog potomka te intervenciji novozelandskih vlasti zaboravljeni ratni heroj uskoro ce pronaci mir. Josipovo ime bit ce uklesano na nadgrobnoj vazi, s amblemom pukovnije Otago i natpisom Kia Mate Toa, što, prevedeno s maorskog jezika, znaci «Bori se do smrti».

-Pokazalo se da je prošao cijelu zapadnu frontu u Prvom svjetskom ratu, preživio Francusku i Belgiju te bio ranjen kod Paschendalea u jednoj od najvecih bitaka toga rata. Ukupno je u ratu proveo tri godine i 112 dana. Iako je na ovom podrucju bilo još nekoliko veterana iz tog doba, Josip je zapravo bio jedan od rijetkih koji su se borili na strani Alijanse jer je vecina naših ljudi bila regrutirana u redove austrougarske vojske, ispricao je njegov potomak Neven Kokic.

Certifikat o razvojacenju

Potraga za životnom pricom Josipa Kokica zapocela je lani, nakon razgovora s Velimirom Urlicem iz Gradskog muzeja Makarska, koji je Kokica prošle godine zamolio da pronade neke podatke o svom pretku, a koji bi se mogli iskoristiti za monografiju Makarsko primorje 1914-1918. Prvi dokument, koji je i zapoceo ovu dugu potragu, pronaden je u Zavodu za mirovinsko osiguranje, a radilo se o certifikatu o razvojacenju, datiranom na travanj 1919. godine, koji je kasnije i bio izložen u makarskom muzeju.

-Na dokumentu je stajala i oznaka O.I.R., za koju isprva nisam znao što znaci. Nakon upita novozelandskom ministarstvu obrane, oni su mi vrlo brzo poslali cijelu medicinsku dokumentaciju, na kojoj je pisalo da je Joseph Kokich ranjen tijekom ratovanja u Francuskoj i Belgiji. Nastavio sam istraživati vojnu povijest Novog Zelanda te spoznao da se datum 12.10.1917., kada je ranjen, zapravo odnosi na selo Paschendale i jednu od najgorih bitaka rata. Tu sam shvatio i što znaci O.I.R. - Otago Infantry Regiment. Njegova 4. pukovnija, što sam kasnije pronašao u njemackim arhivima, bila je jedna od onih na koje su Nijemci gledali s posebnim poštovanjem. No, ono što je kasnije stiglo iz državnog arhiva Novog Zelanda pokazalo je nešto što nitko do sada nije znao - da je Josip 1921. godine bio odlikovan dvjema medaljama, koje nikada nije primio jer je nešto ranije otišao natrag kuci, prica Neven Kokic.

Amblem pukovnije Otago

Kako je znao da Josipove kosti pocivaju u zajednickoj grobnici u kojoj je pokopan i njegov brat, a Nevenov djed Stjepan, odlucio je na poseban nacin odati pocast svom pretku cije ime cak nije ni zapisano na grobu. Naime, iz Commonwealthove ratne komisije za održavanje grobova poslali su sliku amblema pukovnije Otago iz tog vremena, s originalnim natpisom Kia Mate Toa, što ce ubuduce uz Josipovo ime stajati na nadgrobnoj vazi koju je Neven narucio od akademskog kipara Domagoja Pavica.

Životni put Josipa Kokica

Josip Kokic se rodio 1886. godine u Podgori, u obitelji Marijana Kokica. Pretpostavlja se da je trbuhom za kruhom prema Novom Zelandu krenuo oko 1905. godine. Tamo se zaposlio kao kopac zlata u jednom rudniku, a krajem 1915. godine pridružio se ekspeditativnim snagama Novog Zelanda, koje su se borile u Egiptu, Francuskoj i Belgiji. U tadašnju SHS se uputio 1920. godine, uskoro se zaposlivši u internacionalnoj kompaniji Standard Vacuum Oil-Company sa središtem u Zagrebu, u kojoj je radio sve do njenog zatvaranja 1947. godine. Iduce se godine vratio u Podgoru, oženio Marom Pivac, a preminuo je 1950. godine. Njegova je žena umrla ne tako davne 1988. godine, no unatoc trudu Josipova potomka, cini se da su sve fotografije ovog Podgoranina nepovratno izgubljene.

U Europi poginuo svaki dvadeseti Novozelandanin

Novi Zeland je zemlja koja je, statisticki gledano, imala najviše žrtava u tom ratu, u odnosu na broj stanovnika. Tadašnja britanska kolonija, naime, imala je više od 100.000 žrtava, od cega gotovo 53.000 mrtvih, a u to je vrijeme na Novom Zelandu živjelo tek milijun stanovnika, što znaci da je u ratu u Europi poginuo zapravo svaki dvadeseti. Najviše ih je stradalo upravo u Pachendaleu, gdje je samo u jednom danu izbrojano 850 mrtvih novozelandskih vojnika. U jednom od napada na njemacke snage ranjen je i Josip Kokic.

Neven Kokic je radio u ambasadi u Vatikanu

Predak Josipa Kokica Neven, koji je pokrenuo ovu višemjesecnu istragu, i sam se može pohvaliti zanimljivim životom. On je, naime, od 1983. do 1987. godine radio kao otpravnik poslova jugoslavenske ambasade pri Svetoj Stolici u Rimu. Osim u Italiji, dio karijere proveo je u Americi i Australiji, a sam ce za sebe kazati da je u životu bio stvarno - svugdje. Posljednjih godina živi na relaciji Podgora - Split, s time da mu je u Dioklecijanovom gradu službeno boravište.

Zadnja Promjena ( Utorak, 28 Kolovoz 2007 )

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Translation in English from Neven Kokich

A man from Podgora got courage medals 90 years after the battle at Paschendale



A man from Podgora who died in 1950. and was buried without a name at local Podgora cemetery was awarded with two medals for courage since he fought during the World War I in the units of New Zealand Army in France and Belgium from 1916 until 1918, and was wounded in famous battle at Paschendale. His descendant Neven Kokich has decided to give honour to deceased Joseph, brother of his grandfather Stephen.

Recently, Neven Kokich, who is from Podgora too, obtained at his home address in Split from the Secretary of Defence of New Zealand a consignment old exactly 90 years. It contained high World War I military awards – British War medal and Victory Medal for courage shown in the bloodiest battles at western front.

Their real owner, Joseph KOKICH rests in shared grave at old cemetery in Podgora without a name, but owing to the efforts of his descendants and aid of New Zealand authorities forgotten war hero will soon find his peace. Joseph’s name will soon be engraved at the tomb vase together with the emblem of Otago regiment and the words Kia Mate Toa, translated from Maori language means “Fight until death”.

It was proved that he had crossed over Western front in The World War I, survived battles in France and Belgium, was wounded near Paschendale during one of the greatest battles of that war. He spent three years and 112 days in the war. Although several veterans from this area took part in war, Joseph in fact was one of the rare ones who fought at the side of Alliance because most of men from this area were recruited by Austro Hungarian Army, informed as Neven Kokich.



Cerfificate on demobilization

Search for life story of Josip Kokic began last year, after a conversation with Vladimir Urlic from the Town museum in Makarska, who asked Neven Kokic to find some details about his ancestor which could be used for monograph Makarska littoral in period 1914-1918. This long search began with the first document found in Croatian pension insurance institute and it was the demobilization certificate, from the April 1919. It was later exhibited in Makarska museum.

“The document had a designation O.I.R. At first I did not know what it meant. After I had referred to New Zealand Ministry of Defence they had very quickly sent me the complete medical documentation where I could read that Joseph Kokich had been wounded during campaign in France and Belgium. I had continued to research military history of New Zealand and found out that the date 12 October 1917, when he was wounded, refers to the village Paschendale and one of the fiercest battles of Great War. At this point I understood that O.I.R. stands for Otago Infantry Regiment. His 4.regiment, I found it in German Archives, was one highly respected by Germans. However, I was surprised after the information obtained from New Zealand. It was something I did not know before - Josip had been awarded with two medals in 1921, which had never been delivered to him, since he had returned home earlier” says Neven Kokic.

Otago Regiment Emblem

Since Neven knew that Josip’s bones rest in the shared grave together with his brother, and Neven’s grandfather Stjepan, he decided to give honour to his ancestor whose name was not even engraved on the tomb. Namely, he got picture presenting Otago regiment emblem from Commonwealth War Graves Commission with the original inscription Kia Mate Toa. These words will be engraved at the tomb vase which Neven had ordered from academic sculptor Domagoj Pavic.

The life path of Joseph Kokich

Joseph Kokich was born in 1886. at Podgora in the family of Mariano Kokich. It is supposed that looking for better living he went to New Zealand in 1905. There, he worked as a gold miner in one of mines, and by the end of 1915. he joined to expedition forces that fought in Egipt, France and Belgium,- In former SHS he returned in 1920 and very soon he got a job in international company Standard Vacuum Oil-Company in Zagreb where he worked until it was closed in 1947. The next year he returned to Podgora, married to Mara Pivac, and died in 1950. His wife died not so long time ago in 1988., but in spite of intensive efforts of Joseph’s descendant, it seems that all photographs of this man have disappeared.

Every twentieth New Zealander was killed in Europe

New Zealand was a country, which statistically, had most victims in that war compared to the number of inhabitants. British colony at that time, the country had more of 100,000 victims, 53,000 dead ones. At that time not more than one million of people lived in New Zealand, which means that every twentieth person died in Europe. The most of them perished at Pachendale, where in only one day 850 New Zealander soldiers were killed. In one of attacks against German forces was wounded Joseph Kokich.

Neven Kokich worked in embassy in Vatican

Neven, descendant of Joseph Kokich, who initiated this long investigation can be proud of his very interesting life. In the period from 1983. to 1987 he worked as charge d’affairs at Yugoslav embassy at Holy See in Rome.

Except in Italy, he spent a part of his career in America and Australia, and he uses to say for himself, that during his lifetime he really lived everywhere. Recently he lives on the relation Podgora-Split, but his official dwelling place is in Diocletian town.

Joseph Kokich returned to New Zealand aboard NZT Willochra in 1919. AWMM