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Cenotaph record

Watene Pahau

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Lt # 39123 Watene PAHAU of Waitakaro Awarded the Military Medal (MM) in September 1942 Main Body of the 28th Maori Battalion Wounded once

Watene PAHAU

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Watene AWMM
  • Surname
    Pahau AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    39123 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
    Iwi Māori AWMM
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    4 August 1912 AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    • Unknown AWMM Public Works Department, Opotiki, New Zealand AWMM
    • Unknown AWMM Public Works Department, Opotiki, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    • Mr Wi Pahau (father), Ruatoria, New Zealand AWMM
    • Mr W. Pahau (father), Ruatoria, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    39123 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    Military Medal (MM) AWMM
    9 September 1942 AWMM
    WO II Pahau was in command of the leading platoon in the attack by C Company on Gazala Box Point 152 during which action he displayed great gallantry. Even when at a range of only 300 yards from the front line of trenches of the fortified zone that was being attacked with utter disregard for his own personal safety he walked slowly and deliberately up and down his line of men encouraging them and giving them their orders. In the face of withering machine-gun and rifle fire and fire from four French 75mm guns and two 2.pdrs. at point-blank range he initiated a vigorous bayonet attack that completely dislodged a well-entrenched enemy. During the hours of darkness he volunteered to evacuate all our wounded and prisoners back to battalion across srange and unknown territory and returned in the early hours of the following morning with food for the men. (L.G. 9/9/1942) The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Pahau, Watene. (Ref. WO 373/20/361). Military Medal. 9 September 1942 AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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Death

About death

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  • Death
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Soutar, M. (2008). Nga tama toa = The price of citizenship : C Company 28 (Maori) Battalion 1939-1945. Albany, N.Z.: David Bateman. AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 2 (Embarkations to 30th June, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 2: WW2 143 AWMM
    • 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. AWMM
      WW2 14: WW2 75 AWMM
    • Soutar, M. (2008). Nga tama toa = The price of citizenship : C Company 28 (Maori) Battalion 1939-1945. Albany, N.Z.: David Bateman. AWMM
      Portrait published in Soutar (2008) AWMM
    • Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM

Contributors

Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
26 September 2022Lorraine Mona GisborneResearcher

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