Vivian Ruru
Born 16 Feb 1895 - Died 14 Aug 1917
- Service number
- WWI 16/1459 AWMM
- Also known as
- Vivian Ruru AWMM
- Te Whiwhi RURUPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military record
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- New Zealand Maori (Pioneer) BattalionPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Last rank
- WW1 Private AWMM New Zealand Pioneer Battalion AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- PrivatePublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military record
- Forenames
- Vivian AWMM
- Surname
- Ruru AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- Vivian Ruru AWMM
- Te Whiwhi RURUPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military record
- Service number
- WWI 16/1459 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Religion
- RingatuPublic - nita - Other relative - 27 April 2016 - Ringatu & Church of England predominant religions at home.
- Church of EnglandPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military record
- Ringatu
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 16 Feb 1895 Public Source
- Date of birth
- 16 February 1895Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Place of birth
- Gisborne, NZPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Birth notes
- son of Mr & Mrs Henare RuruPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Address before enlistment
- Te KarakaPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Henare Ruru (father), Te Karaka, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- singlePublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- Western European - FrancePublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- New Zealand Maori (Pioneer) BattalionPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Service number
- WWI 16/1459 AWMM
- Military service
- 1916-1917Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Plaque & Scroll # 511497Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 10 February 2016 - Military Record
- British War & Victory MedalsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Plaque & Scroll # 511497
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- Senior Cadets & Narrow Neck CampPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 Unknown AWMM Stationhand/Civilian AWMM
- 26 Feb 1916 at Narrow Neck, AucklandPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Age on enlistment
- 20yrs 11 mthsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Military Record
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 26 Jun 1916 AWMM
HMNZT 56 or HMNZT 57 AWMM Vessel was Tahiti or Maunganui AWMM Private AWMM 4th Reinforcements, No. 2 Platoon AWMM Maori Contingent AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 Private AWMM
New Zealand Pioneer Battalion AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Vivian Ruru was the son of Henare Ruru and Maata Ruru, of Te Karaka, New Zealand.
Next of Kin: Mr H. Ruru, Childers Rd, Gisborne (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 2)) AWMM - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14452, 12 November 1917, Page 7
IN A TIGHT CORNER.
HOW LIEUT. KAIPARA. AND HIS COMRADES FELL.
Corporal Walter Heany, of the N.Z. Pioneers, writing to his mother, Mrs. Donald Gordon, of Gisborne, gives the first details that have been received respecting the death of Lieut A.P Kaipara and a number of other East Coast members of the Pioneers. The writer explains that the battalion went out wiring a stronghold that the New Zealanders had taken from the Germans. Fritz had made things very warm for them since, Corporal Heany remarks. The Pioneers got to within 100 yards of where they had to erect the entanglements, when Fritz opened up on them. The boys halted for it awhile, and then moved through shell fire to their sector. Shells were thrown all around them, and machine gun fire was turned on, this being about 1.3O a.m. The writer, details the circumstances under which Bill Morris, of Gisborne (wounded), was carried out to, the dressing station. On the way back they were up to their waists in mud, and Fritz concentrated fire on them, thus delaying them a good deal. The shells were bashing in the trenches and ploughing through the mud in the shell fire was a trying experience. Patience, however, got them through safely, though they were all fairly exhausted. Lieut. Kaipara rushed along and requested them 'to go back for Ehau, another Gisbornite who was wounded in the leg. As there was no one else he and his mate went back again with Kaipara. They were fairly beaten, and shells were falling worse than ever. Kaipara kept urging them to hurry, but they were so done up they could hardly for dear life lift their legs out of the boggy ground. Frequently they had to put the stretcher down, and then shells would burst near them, the concussion knocking them over in the mud. Eventually his mate dragged himself back to get fresh men, and he could hear Ehau calling "Come on, Heany" but he was completely knocked up. It was then that Kaipara dropped, shot through the head by a piece of shell. The writer went on to say that he had simply to lie down in the mud with the pathetic words still ringing in his ears and cursing himself for being unable to carry on. Subsequently he managed to drag himself out and to get fresh men to carry the wounded out. Two nights later they went out again to dig a trench and about midnight Fritz poured shells into them again. One shell came into the trench and killed Viv Ruru and another chap who had just joined up, besides wounding Trotter and Maharangi Pohatu. Heany was placed in charge to carry Trotter down to the dressing station, where he learned than Kaa, the Ngati Porou officer was killed, also Winiana and Dick Hale (corporal of the section). The party was carrying out one of the fellows (killed), when a shell landed right in the middle of them. With an officer, the writer went back and found their bodies, which were brought in and laid to rest. All were Gisborne and Coast boys. Donald Cameron was killed the same night as Kaipara. The casualties during the two nights were Killed, Lieutenants P Kaa, Kaipara, Cameron, and MacNeil, Corporal Hale, Privates V. Ruru, A. Kopua, Winiana. wounded: -Lieutenant J Ehau, Privates R. Trotter. W. Morris, Manuel, M. Pohatu, and P KingiPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 20 July 2015 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14452, 12 November 1917, Page 7
- Vivian Ruru was the son of Henare Ruru and Maata Ruru, of Te Karaka, New Zealand.
About death
- Death
- 14 Aug 1917 AWMM
Age 21 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Underhill Farm Cemetery, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium AWMM A. 31. AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- ROLL OF HONOR
Private Vivian Ruru, recently reported killed in action, was the Eldest, son of Mr & Mrs H Ruru of Te Karaka. He left Gisborne with the 14th Reinforcements and took part in the battles of the Somme and Messines. He was aged 21 years. Mr Ruru has received messages of condolences and appreciation of services of his son from the King and the New Zealand Government.Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14391, 1 September 1917, Page 3 - Memorial name
- Tikitiki St Mary's Church War Memorial
Te Karaka War Memorial
Gisborne's War MemorialPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 22 September 2015 - Research - Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- St Mary's Church Memorial Board, Tikitiki near Rangitukia, East Coast, New Zealand AWMM
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R20808562
Further Reference - New Zealand Electronic Text Collection topic page
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/name-130748.html
Further Reference - 'Tikitiki church war memorial ', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/tikitiki-church-war-memorial, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 29-Oct-2014
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/memorial/tikitiki-church-war-memorial
Further Reference - A Street Near You record
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/445266/-
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/445266
Further Reference - Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20201108000000/https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-CowMaor.html
Further Reference - New Zealand War Graves Trust
https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/
Further Reference
- Military personnel file
- References
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1917). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
34: 40 - Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
Vol. 4: Includes portrait - Soutar, M. (2019). Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!: Maori In the First World War. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd.
- Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.
- Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- Pugsley, C. (1995). Te Hokowhitu a Tu : the Maori Pioneer Battalion in the first World War. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1917). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
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