Henare Whakatau Uru
I whānau mai i te 21 Feb 1921 - I mate atu i te 6 Aug 1944
- Nama Hōia
- WWII NZ39589 AWMM
- WWII 39589 AWMM
- Ingoa kārangaranga
- Kay AWMM
- KayPublic - Nicola Adrienne (Nikora Ariana) - Other relative - 14 December 2018 - His oldest sister is my grandmother (Catherine Eileen Cocks nee Uru, also known as Kata) and I grew up knowing him as Uncle Kay. His photograph sat on the fireplace.
- Te Ope o Tū / te peka
- Air Force AWMM
- Te tūnga whakamutunga
- WW2 Pilot Officer AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 299 Squadron AWMM
- Pakanga
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
E pā ana ki
- Taitara
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- Ngā ingoa tuatahi
- Henare Whakatau AWMM
- Ingoa whānau
- Uru AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Ingoa kārangaranga
- Kay AWMM
- KayPublic - Nicola Adrienne (Nikora Ariana) - Other relative - 14 December 2018 - His oldest sister is my grandmother (Catherine Eileen Cocks nee Uru, also known as Kata) and I grew up knowing him as Uncle Kay. His photograph sat on the fireplace.
- Nama Hōia
- WWII NZ39589 AWMM
- WWII 39589 AWMM
- Ira tangata
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM
- Kāi Tahu, Ngā Iwi o Tākitimu, Tākitimu, Waka o Ngā Iwi, Ngā Iwi, Māori AWMM
- Kāti Tūahuriri, Kāi Tahu, Ngā Iwi o Tākitimu, Tākitimu, Waka o Ngā Iwi, Ngā Iwi, Māori AWMM
- Pono
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Mātātuhi
Ngā tuhinga
Te whānautanga
- Whānautanga mai
- 21 Feb 1921 AWMM
- Rā i whānau mai ai
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- Wāhi Whānau
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- Tuhinga mō te whānautanga
- Son of Henare Whakatau Uru and of Gladys Constance May Uru (nee Rogers), of ChristchurchPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 24 February 2025 - https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/henare-whakatau-uru
- Wāhi noho i mua i te whakaurunga
- WW2 Oxford, Canterbury AWMM
- Mahi whai muri i te pakanga
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- Uri kiritahi
- WW2 Mother: Mrs G. C. M. Uru of Christchurch AWMM
- Mēnā he hoa rangatira tōna
- Single/WWII AWMM
Ngā pakanga me ngā whawhai
- Pakanga
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Kauhanga riri
- Europe (Air) AWMM
- Te Ope o Tū / te peka
- Air Force AWMM
- Nama Hōia
- WWII NZ39589 AWMM
- WWII 39589 AWMM
- Urunga ki te ope taua
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- Whakapikinga / Tukunga / Whakawhitinga
- Royal Air Force, No. 299 Squadron AWMM
Ngā tohu taumata rau ope taua
- Mētara me ngā Tohu
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Te Whakangungu me te Urunga atu
- Whakangungu ope taua
- British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, No. 4 Service Flying Training Schools, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada AWMM
Course 1: Class 54. Graduation Date: 2/12/1942. AWMM - British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, No. 34 Operational Training Unit, Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick, Canada AWMM
- British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, No. 4 Service Flying Training Schools, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada AWMM
- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Te urunga
- WW2 Farmer/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 Vessel was HS Tjitjalengka AWMM Royal New Zealand Air 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
- 6 Aug 1944 AWMM Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
Te tūnga whakamutunga e mōhiotia ana
- Te tūnga whakamutunga
- WW2 Pilot Officer AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 299 Squadron AWMM - Te tūnga whakamutunga
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Kōrero taurongo
- Henare Uru was the son of Henare Whakatau Uru and of Gladys Constance May Uru (nee Rogers), of Christchurch, New Zealand. His mother served as a WAAF during the War.
Attended West Christchurch High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845617))
Henare Whakatau Uru was born in Auckland on 21 February 1921, the son of Henare Whakatau Uru and Gladys Constance May Uru (née Rogers). He was educated at West Christchurch High School, where he gained his matriculation and was active in rugby, cricket, and tennis, playing for the school’s First XI. After leaving school, he worked in farm duties on the O’Halloran Estate at Oxford, Canterbury.
Uru applied for enlistment with the Christchurch Territorial Squadron on 6 May 1939 and was accepted for service. Following the outbreak of World War II, he was enlisted for war service at Ohakea on 20 September 1939 and later served at both Ohakea and Wigram on ground duties. He applied for aircrew training in November 1939 and was remustered as a pilot in September 1941. In December 1941 he was posted to No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School at Harewood.
In March 1942, Uru embarked for Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme. He trained at No. 4 Service Flying Training School, Saskatoon, where he was awarded his flying badge on 2 December 1942 and promoted to Sergeant. Further promotions followed, including Flight Sergeant in June 1943, Warrant Officer in 1944, and commissioning as Pilot Officer on 9 June 1944.
After further training in Canada, England, and conversion to Stirling aircraft, Uru was posted to No. 299 Squadron, Royal Air Force, part of 38 Group (Special Operations). His duties included glider towing, supply container dropping, and operational flights over enemy-occupied Europe in support of resistance forces.
On the night of 5–6 August 1944, Pilot Officer Uru was piloting a Short Stirling aircraft on a special operations sortie over central France when the aircraft was hit by German anti-aircraft fire near Auray. It crashed in the village of Plougoumelen, Morbihan, killing all six crew members and several civilians on the ground. His death was officially presumed on 6 August 1944 following post-war investigation by the Missing Research and Enquiry Unit.
Pilot Officer Henare Whakatau Uru is buried with full service honours at Plougoumelen Communal Cemetery, France. He was aged 23. One other member of the crew was from New Zealand, Warrant Officer Robert Jack Braddock of Upper Hutt. Uru’s mother also served for two years with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during the war.
Christchurch Territorials. 664 hours as Pilot (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845617)) AWMM - Remembered on the Belfast War Memorial, Sheldon Park, Christchurch, New ZealandPublic - Kerrie - Researcher - 27 April 2026 - Christchurch City Libraries (2026, April 27). Belfast War Memorial. https://www.canterburystories.nz/stories/memorials-and-plaques/belfast-war-memorial
- Reason for Aircraft/crew loss :
5/6 August 1944.
Operation Code-Name : Special Operations 'Ian 7'
RAF Unit : 299 (Special Operations) Squadron, 38 Group.
RAF Base : Keevil, Wiltshire, England.
Aircraft type and Call Signs: Short Stirling IV LJ878 5G-T.
3 Short Stirling aircraft - from 299 (Special Operations) Squadron - based at RAF Base Keevil, Wiltshire, England - were detailed to drop several containers of equipment to the French Special Air Service - and the French Resistance - in the Baden area of France.
Stirling LJ878 - piloted by New Zealander Pilot Officer Henare Uru - left RAF Base Keevil, Wiltshire, England - at 23:00 hours. Two other Stirlings - on the same mission also left RAF Base Keevil - one at 23:38 hours (piloted Flight Lieutenant Taylor) and 22:44 hours (Pilot Officer Tevell).
On arrival over the drop zone at France LJ878 was circling the area looking for the rendezvous lights (signal lights from French Resistance fighters on the ground) - when LJ878 was hit by German anti-aircraft fire. LJ878 was badly damaged and crashed into the Village of Plougoumelen - killing all 6 Allied air-men aboard - as well as 3 French civilians on the ground.
In 1945 the full facts - of the loss of LJ878 and her 6 air-crew - were discovered by the No 1 Missing Research Enquiry Unit - and the findings were sent to the relatives of the crew.
Over 1,000 local French inhabitants, of Plougoumelen, attended the funeral of the 6 Allied air-men, a full service was provided and all the 6 coffins were covered in flowers.
The 6 crew of Stirling LJ878 were -
1. Pilot Officer Henare W. Uru - RNZAF NZ/39589 (aged 23 years - killed).
2. Navigator Robert J. Braddock - RNZAF NZ416081 (aged 26 years - killed).
3. Flight Engineer Alfred A. Hull RAF (England) RAF # 1588979 (aged 20 years - killed).
4. Air Bombdr Flight Sergeant Leonard A. Eunson RAAF (Australia) # 410536 (aged 24 years - killed).
5. Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Pilot Officer Walter N. Irving RCAF (Canada) # J/87928 (aged 26 years - killed).
6. Air Gunner/Warrant Officer Gordon F. Harrison RCAF (Canada) # R/112810 (aged 24 years - killed).Public - Jenifer - Researcher - 12 June 2019 - Reference : www.aircrewremembered.com (England) : Stirling IV LJ878 5G-T/Uru Henare W.
- Henare Uru was the son of Henare Whakatau Uru and of Gladys Constance May Uru (nee Rogers), of Christchurch, New Zealand. His mother served as a WAAF during the War.
Te matenga
- Matenga
- 6 Aug 1944 AWMM
Age 23 AWMM - 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
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Tuhipoka mō te matenga
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- Urupā
- Plougoumelen Communal Cemetery, Morbihan, France AWMM Coll. grave. AWMM
- Ingoa o te urupā
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- Tohutoro kōhatu urupā
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- Pānui Matenga
- OBITUARY
PILOT OFFICER H. W. URU Pilot Officer Henare Whakatau Uru, whose father, Mr H. W. Uru, was a member of Parliament for Souther Maori, has been officially reported killed on air operations. His mother, who lives in Christchurch, has been advised that the aircraft in which Pilot Officer Uru was flying at the time he was reported missing was hit by anti-aircraft fire at Auray, France, and crashed in the village of Plougqmelen.
Educated at the Cathedral Grammar School , and the Christchurch West High School, Pilot Officer Uru was for a short time engaged in farming, but be enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force at the start of the war. He was aged 23.
All the members of Pilot Officer Uru's crew were killed. They were given a funeral service and buried in the Plougomelen Cemetery. Tributes to the dead airmen were paid by the local Mayor and corporation, and more than 1000 persons attended the ceremony. OBITUARY, Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24725, 16 November 1945, Page 3 AWMM - Ingoa maumaharatanga
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- Tohutoro maumaharatanga
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Maumaharatanga
- Ingoa maumaharatanga
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Tangata Ope Tauā
Ngā mātāwai
- Hononga ki waho
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2814304
Sources Used - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ue - Z. Archives New Zealand (R17845617)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845617
Sources Used - List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. Archives New Zealand (R17845745)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845745
Sources Used - OBITUARY, Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24725, 16 November 1945, Page 3
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19451116.2.21
Further Reference
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
- Ngā tuhinga
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- This record is a work in progress and was partially compiled from the “Database of New Zealand Airmen who took part in Advanced Air Training in Canada during WW2”. Researched by Ivan and Lorna Lindsey of Tauranga. N.Z. 2003 – 2012. Reproduced with permission.
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ue - Z. Archives New Zealand (R17845617) - Former archives reference: AIR118
- Please note that the 11 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions.
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [List of Missing - United Kingdom, Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845745)
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762).
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