James Kira
I whānau mai i te 10 Mar 1920
- Nama Hōia
- WWII 801807 AWMM
- Ingoa kārangaranga
- Hemi AWMM
- Te Ope o Tū / te peka
- Army AWMM
- Te tūnga whakamutunga
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- Pakanga
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
Mātātuhi
Ngā tuhinga
Te whānautanga
- Whānautanga mai
- 10 Mar 1920 AWMM
- Rā i whānau mai ai
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- Wāhi Whānau
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- Tuhinga mō te whānautanga
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- Wāhi noho i mua i te whakaurunga
- WW2 Care of Vic. Shepherd, Kaeo R.D., New Zealand AWMM
- Mahi whai muri i te pakanga
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- Uri kiritahi
- WW2 Mrs R. Kira (mother), Matauri Bay, New Zealand AWMM
- Mēnā he hoa rangatira tōna
- Single AWMM
Ngā pakanga me ngā whawhai
- Pakanga
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Kauhanga riri
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- Te Ope o Tū / te peka
- Army AWMM
- Nama Hōia
- WWII 801807 AWMM
- Urunga ki te ope taua
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- Whakapikinga / Tukunga / Whakawhitinga
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Ngā tohu taumata rau ope taua
- Mētara me ngā Tohu
- Military Medal (MM) AWMM
18 Oct 1945 AWMM
"Pte. Kira, during the crossing of the Santerno River on 12 April 1945, found the crossing on his platoon front very deep. Without hesitation he swam across and, single-handed, destroyed two Spandau posts which were very close together. While engaged in dealing with these posts, he was fired upon by a sniper. Without thought for his personal safety he moved forward, located and destroyed the sniper post, by which time the rest of his platoon arrived and everyone moved forward to fight to the final objective. During this action this soldier displayed courage of the highest order and his conduct was an inspiration to his fellow soldiers. (London Gazette 18/10/1945 (I)) The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Kira, James. (Ref. WO 373/14/303). Military Medal. 18 Oct 1945 " AWMM - War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
- Military Medal (MM) AWMM
Te Whakangungu me te Urunga atu
- Whakangungu ope taua
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Te urunga
- WW2 Labourer/Civilian AWMM
- Pakeke i te whakaurunga
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- Mahi i mua i te ekenga waka
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Te maha o ngā ekenga waka
- Taipitopito ekenga waka
- WW2 Private AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, A Company AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
Mauhere o te pakanga
- Kia mau ki ngā taipitopito
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- Ngā rā i mauherehia ai
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- Rā i puta ai
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- Ngā kōrero mō te puta i te mauhere pakanga
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- Te rā i whakahokia atu ngā hōia i mauherehia ai
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- Nama motuhake mō te mauhere pakanga
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Whakapapa hauora
- Tuhinga hauora
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Te tūnga whakamutunga e mōhiotia ana
- Te tūnga whakamutunga
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- Te tūnga whakamutunga
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Kōrero taurongo
- Corporal J. Kira, MM; Matauri Bay, Kaeo; born NZ 10 Mar 1920; labourer. (Source: Cody, J.F. 28 Maori Battalion. p.464.)
'General Freyberg paid an unexpected visit to Battalion Headquarters and expressed his pleasure at the progress being made. He amused his hearers by saying that we had given the enemy his running shoes and that he was making good use of them. He was certain that the enemy had had all the fight he wanted, though there would still be a few major skirmishes before he threw in the towel. The troops were drawn back to a safe distance behind the barrage opening line, but a few minutes before the barrage started a low-flying fighter-bomber mistakenly dropped a 500-pound bomb in D Company's area. The men had hardly time to dive for cover before it exploded, causing three casualties, one fatal. Others were badly shaken by the blast but revived sufficiently to carry on with the company.
The barrage was to stand for twenty minutes on the opening line, but the forward platoons were within fifty yards of the storm of steel when the first lift came and they lined the old bank. It was very like going over the top in the trench warfare days of 1914–18; on the word of the platoon commanders the troops leaped as one man on to the top and down the far side. At the real stopbank the same procedure was adopted; the water was twelve feet wide, was muddy and looked deep; the leaders plunged in and waded forward—some had to swim, for wet or dry it was imperative to keep up with the barrage.
Private Jimmy Kira was first across and caught a spandau crew unawares; then he caught sight of another one and wiped that out also. By this time the rest of his section had arrived dripping and mud-covered. Again the troops lined the bank and, on the word of command, swept over the top. No. 7 Platoon (Lieutenant Rivers) found two bazooka crews and shot them in their trenches before they could do any harm. Kira was awarded an MM.' (Source: Cody, J.F. 28 Maori Battalion. p. 464.; Kay, R. Italy Volume II : From Cassino to Trieste. p. 431.) AWMM
Te matenga
- Matenga
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- Rā i mate ai
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- Pakeke i te matenga
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- Wāhi Mate
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- Te momo matenga
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- Tuhipoka mō te matenga
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- Urupā
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- Ingoa o te urupā
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- Tohutoro kōhatu urupā
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- Pānui Matenga
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- Ingoa maumaharatanga
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- Tohutoro maumaharatanga
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Maumaharatanga
- Ingoa maumaharatanga
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Ngā mātāwai
- Hononga ki waho
- 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/
Further Reference - 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 - 'The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy.' (London Gazette, 18 October 1945, p.5102.). Military Medal.
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37310/supplements/5102
Further Reference - The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Kira, James. (Ref. WO 373/14/303). Military Medal.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7355740
Further Reference
- 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
- Ngā tuhinga
- 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 53 - Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
p.464. - Kay, R. (1967). Italy. Volume 2. From Cassino to Trieste. Dept. of Internal Affairs, Historical Publications Branch, Wellington, N.Z.
p.431.
- 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.
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