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Cenotaph record

Murray Rakena Hudson

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"D Company Group. Ken Hudson. Stan Mackie, Ross Hardy, Crete Haami." 1st Battalion, New Zealand Regiment - Scrapbook regarding Terendak Camp, Malacca, Malaya, 1961 - 1963. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2010-26-154.

"D Company Group. Ken Hudson. Stan Mackie, Ross Hardy, Crete Haami." 1st Battalion, New Zealand Regi …

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Murray Rakena AWMM
  • Surname
    Hudson AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    • Huddy AWMM
    • Murray Ken Hudson AWMM
  • Service number
    • Malaya 537931 AWMM
    • Vietnam 537931 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
    Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    24 February 1938 AWMM Opotiki, Bay of Plenty AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Malaya Burnham Military Camp AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • George Cross (GC) AWMM
      1974 AWMM
      London Gazette, 11 October 1974. " On 13th February 1974 while supervising a live grenade practice, Sergeant Hudson suddenly became aware that the NCO in his grenade throwing bay had accidentally, and perhaps unknowingly, armed the grenade he was about to throw. Sergeant Hudson immediately ordered the man to throw the grenade, but there was no reaction. The Sergeant was then seen to quickly grasp the NCO's throwing hand in both his hands and attempt to throw the grenade over the front parapet of the throwing bay. He was within inches of success when the grenade exploded killing both men. As an experienced soldier, Sergeant Hudson would have realised immediately that once the grenade became armed there was less than four seconds to detonation. While he must have been aware of the great risk involved he took no action to safeguard himself, but instead attempted to dislodge the grenade from the NCO's hand and throw it over the parapet. Sergeant Hudson displayed devotion to duty and courage of a very high order when, with a complete disregard for his own safety, he attempted to save the life of a fellow soldier." Awarded posthumously. AWMM
    • New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM
    • Vietnam Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

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
    Accidental Death, Cause of Death AWMM
    Killed whilst trying to assist a soldier in a live grenade exercise AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Attended Opotiki College

    His medals are held by the National Army Museum, Waiouru, New Zealand.

    Awarded a posthumous George Cross for attempting to save the life of a fellow soldier during a live grenade exercise at Waiouru, 13 February 1974. Read award citation in the London Gazette, 11 October 1974. A fellow Vietnam Vet- 43361 Sgt Fergusson, died in the same incident.

    Photo of Sgt R. Hudson in 1st Battalion New Zealand Infantry Regiment, WOs & SGTs (Terendak Camp, Malaysia 1964) AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    13 February 1974 Cemetery Record
    Waiouru, Central Plateau Cemetery Record
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Accidental Death AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Opotiki Public Cemetery, St John Street / Duke Street & State Highway 2, Opotiki, New Zealand AWMM RSA 135 AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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  • A little bio on Ken - https://6haurakiassoc.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Hauraki-News-February-2018-PDF.pdf - Lest we Forget
    Report 
  • 537931 Sgt Murray Ken HUSDON, GC. 13 February 1974 aged 35. (1NZRegt-Malaya, NZSAS-Borneo, V5-Vietnam) Opotiki Cemetery, St John's Street (SH2). Plot, RSA 135. [-38.01723, 177.28784] (Buried as Murray Rakena HUDSON) LEST WE FORGET this hearty member of our battalion. Lost his life saving another, for which he was awarded the George Cross. (most information kindly supplied to AWMM by seava.co.nz) ONWARD.
    Report 
  • While training in Waiouru on 13 February 1974, Sergeant Hudson was awarded a posthumous, George Cross for the following action. "While supervising a live grenade practice, Sergeant Hudson suddenly became aware that the NCO in his grenade throwing bay had accidentally armed the grenade he was about to throw. The Sergeant was then seen to quickly grasp the NCO’s throwing hand and attempt to throw the grenade over the front parapet of the throwing bay. He was within inches of success when the grenade exploded killing both men. Sergeant Hudson displayed devotion to duty and courage of a very high order when, with a complete disregard for his own safety, he attempted to save the life of a fellow soldier."
    Report 
  • ‘Huddy’ Hudson was born in Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty in 1938. After attending Opotiki College he joined the Territorial Force Hauraki Battalion. In 1961 he joined the Regular Force and served two years with the 1 st New Zealand Regiment in Malaya. Hudson thrived on the Army life and in 1966 he joined the Special Air Service, (SAS) the elite unit of the Army. While with the NZSAS he served in Borneo during the Malaysia/Indonesia Confrontation. Following his tour in Borneo he was promoted to Sergeant, posted to 1 RNZIR, the Infantry Battalion in Singapore, and served a year on active service with V Company during the Vietnam war. Towards the end of 1971 he returned to New Zealand and was posted to the Masterton company of 7 Battalion.
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Gurr, Robert M. (1995). Voices from a border war : a history of 1 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, 1963 to 1965. Melbourne, Vic.: Robert Gurr. AWMM
    • Subritsky, M. (Ed). (1995). The Vietnam scrapbook: The second ANZAC adventure. Papakura, N.Z.: Three Feathers Publishing Co. AWMM
      p. 278 AWMM
    • 1NZR Roll 1961-1963 - Bill Russell, Malayan Veterans Association Scrapbook – 40th Anniversary edition. AWMM
    • DECEASED, 1 NZ Regiment, 1961-63 – Internet resource. AWMM
    • This record was partially created from Cemetery research completed by Carol Foster (2021). AWMM
    • Fry, P., & New Zealand. Army. Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. Battalion, 1st. (1983). The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment : Journal / [P.J. Fry, editor] (25th anniversary commemorative ed.). Singapore: The Regiment. AWMM
    • FARELF Nominal Roll Part 2 1962-1963- Archives New Zealand, Wellington, CAJN CH189/Box70 41/4/11 (R21234083) AWMM

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