Hinga Grant
Born 9 Jul 1921 - Died 28 Oct 1963
- Service number
- 65184 AWMM
- Also known as
- Hingawaru Oswald GrantPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 7 May 2016 - http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/soldier/hinga-grant
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- —
- War
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Hinga AWMM
- Surname
- Grant AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- Hingawaru Oswald GrantPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 7 May 2016 - http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/soldier/hinga-grant
- Service number
- 65184 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 9 Jul 1921 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- Son of Oswald Otto & Lucy Wahanga GRANTPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 7 August 2026 - https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/L5KS-CPV/hingawaru-oswald-grant-1921-1963
- Address before enlistment
- Unknown AWMM Mourea, New Zealand AWMM
- Jayforce Unknown AWMM Mourea, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mrs L. Grant (mother), Mourea, New Zealand AWMM
- Jayforce Mrs L. Grant (mother), Mourea, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Unknown AWMM Single AWMM
- Unknown AWMM Single/Jayforce AWMM
- 1947 Hingawaru GRANT married Elizabeth Tuavaki Amy RAEPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 7 August 2026 - https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/L5KS-CPV/hingawaru-oswald-grant-1921-1963
Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- 65184 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Military Medal (MM) AWMM
22 Jul 1943 AWMM
In the attack on Takrouna on the night of 19/20 April 1943, Pte-Grant was a member of the small party which stormed the fort crowning the village. Throughout the action he showed outstanding courage and dash. On the morning of 22 April 1943 he led a small party along the western slope and captured approximately fifty prisoners from well dug-in positions. During the whole two days struggle he repeatedly guided reinforcements into the positions, constantly exposing himself with regard for danger and became established in the hazardous position of official guide. (London Gazette 22/7/1943 (I)) The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Grant, Hinga. (Ref. WO 373/25/479). Military Medal. 22 Jul 1943 AWMM - War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
- Military Medal (MM) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW2 Unknown AWMM Labourer/Civilian AWMM
- Jayforce Unknown AWMM Labourer/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Private AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, B Company AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
- Jayforce Lieutenant/Military AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, Headquarters AWMM British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) Japan AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- —
Last known rank
- Last rank
- —
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Lieutenant H. Grant, MM; Rotorua; born Mourea, Rotorua, 9 Jul 1921; chainman; twice wounded. (Source: Cody, J.F. 28 Maori Battalion. p.300.)
'It was agreed to separate and attack from two directions, Rogers from the right and Manahi from the left; or, more precisely, from the east and south-west. Almost as soon as they showed themselves a green flare from the enemy position brought a shower of mortar bombs, but the Maoris dashed from rock to rock strewed on the base of the hill and grenaded, bayoneted, and shot their way through the system of defensive pits in front of Takrouna until they were above and behind the enemy. Lt H. Grant, MM; Rotorua; born Mourea, Rotorua, 9 Jul 1921; chainman; twice wounded.
By this time dawn was breaking and the shooting was good; three tiers of rifle pits stretched from the 21 Battalion area to a bulge on the eastern side of the feature and the occupants were sitting shots for the Maoris behind them. White flags began to flutter and Manahi sent Hinga Grant down to expedite the surrender. He rounded up sixty Italians and escorted them away from the war. Lieutenant H. Grant, MM; Rotorua; born Mourea, Rotorua, 9 Jul 1921; chainman; twice wounded.; Bardia to Enfidaville - The parties set off just before daybreak and found that the slopes were occupied. They gradually worked their way up the hill, running for shelter from rock to rock, and firing on enemy positions. By first light they were halfway up the slope and able to fire down into what turned out to be deep fighting pits, and soon convinced the enemy that they had the upper hand in more ways than one. Italians, their pits now exposed, showed signs of surrendering, and Private Grant alone rounded up some sixty prisoners. Even though daylight had come they pushed on, and little by little reached the ‘ledge’, the last twenty feet being up an almost sheer rock face. To climb this they made good use of bunches of telephone cables running to the abandoned enemy positions below. From the ledge they occupied the maze of buildings on the ‘pinnacle’, which surprisingly enough was not specifically defended, and their movements round the pinnacle resulted in the capture of a German artillery observation officer and his wireless operator.' (Source: Cody, J.F. 28 Maori Battalion. p. 300.; 'Stevens, W.G. Bardia to Enfidaville. p. 327.) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 28 Oct 1963 Public Source
- Date of death
- 28 Oct 1963Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 7 May 2016 - Rotorua Cemetery Records
- Age at death
- 42yrsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 7 May 2016 - Rotorua Cemetery Records
- Place of death
- Rotorua, NZPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 7 May 2016 - Rotorua Cemetery Records
- Cause of death
- —
- Death notes
- 65184 2nd Lieut H W Grant (MM) of the NZ Div. Cavalry Regt. died 28 OCt 1963 aged 42yrs.Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 7 May 2016 - Rotorua Cemetery Records
- Cemetery
- —
- Cemetery name
- Rotorua Cemetery, RotoruaPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 7 May 2016 - Rotorua Cemetery Records
- Grave reference
- 024-6-RSA-226Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 7 May 2016 - Rotorua Cemetery Records
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Sources
- External links
- 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
Sources Used - 'The KING has been pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East.' (London Gazette, 22 July 1943, p.3315.). Military Medal.
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36102/pages/3315
Further Reference - The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Grant, Hinga. (Ref. WO 373/25/479). Military Medal.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7361698
Further Reference - J Force - Greetings from D Squadron. A greeting recorded by Hingawaru Oswald Grant in Japan in 1946 can be found on Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision's online catalogue (ID: 9396)
https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/search-use-collection/search/
Further Reference - 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
https://28maoribattalion.org.nz/
Further Reference - J Force Wikipedia Page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Force
Further Reference - Romano, G. (2021, March 4). Jayforce: 75 years on. Auckland War Memorial Museum – Tāmaki Paenga Hira.
https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/jayforce
Further Reference - Johnston, S. (2025, August 11). Voices of J Force: Recordings of New Zealanders in post-war Japan. Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.
https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/explore-stories/stories/new-zealand-history/voices-of-j-force-recordings-of-new-zealanders-in-post-war-japan/
Further Reference
- Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington: Dept. of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. Digital copy.
- References
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 4 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1941 to 30 June, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
WW2 4: WW2 135 - Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1950). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 16 (Embarkations from 1st January, 1946 to 30th June, 1948). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
WW2 16: WW2 49 - Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
pp.300, 426, 483. - Stevens, W.G. (1962). Bardia to Enfidaville. Dept. of Internal Affairs, War History Branch, Wellington, N.Z.
p.327. - Gardiner, W. (2019). Ake ake kia kaha e! : Forever brave! : B Company 28 (Maori) Battalion, 1939-1945. Auckland : Bateman Books.
- Brocklebank, L.W. (1997). Jayforce : New Zealand and the military occupation of Japan, 1945-48. Auckland, N.Z.: Oxford University Press.
- Parr, A. (2012). The occupiers : New Zealand veterans remember post-war Japan. Auckland, N.Z. : Penguin.
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 4 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1941 to 30 June, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
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