Piki Kotuku Te Kuru

Born 27 Apr 1894 - Died 4 Aug 1917

Service number: WWI 16/753 AWMM
Also known as: Tekuru AWMM
Piki Kōtuku AWMM
Piki K Tekuru AWMM
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: WW1 Private Military Personnel file New Zealand Pioneer Battalion Military Personnel file
War: World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Piki Kotuku Te Kuru — Portrait of Private Piki Kōtuku Te Kuru, painted by Mihimamoa Te Kahu, circa 1950, based on a photograph of Te Kuru. Oil on canvas board. Donated by Stewart Te Tana, 2016. Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, PD-2017-1; ACQ-2016-63. All Rights Reserved

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Biographical information

Piki Kōtuku Te Kuru was born at Manunui on 27 April 1894, the son of Kahu Te Kuru. He enlisted in July 1915 and served overseas with the 2nd Māori Contingent, later serving with the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion. Te Kuru’s name appears in contemporary records in several forms. His personnel record uses Piki Kotuku Te Kuru, while the Chronicles of the NZEF recorded his surname as Tekuru. These variations appear to have caused difficulties in identifying him in published official sources. Later correspondence in his personnel file noted that he could not be found in the Official Roll, despite his documented military service.

Te Kuru was wounded during his service and was listed among the wounded in Chronicles of the NZEF, 1916 (2), p. 40, under the name Tekuru. He survived further severe fighting and the effects of gas during his service with the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion. Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira later highlighted these experiences when telling his story in Pou Maumahara.

On 4 August 1917, Te Kuru died of wounds received in action at No. 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station in France. He was buried at Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, France.

His father, Kahu Te Kuru of Manunui, was recorded as his next of kin. He is also recorded as Mr K. Te Kuru, Manunui, K.C., in Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914–1918, vol. 2.

Te Kuru’s story has continued to be remembered through objects and records associated with his service. A British Pattern 1888 bayonet, Mark 1, 2nd type, with scabbard, held by Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, is thought to have belonged to him. Auckland Museum notes that it is not known how the bayonet returned to New Zealand, although it may have been carried home by one of his fellow pioneers.

Te Kuru was one of nine individual lives featured in Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira’s Pou Maumahara Memorial Discovery Centre when it opened in 2016. Through objects, records and other collection material, Pou Maumahara presented individual experiences of war and encouraged visitors to make their own discoveries. Auckland Museum described Te Kuru as a young man from the King Country who served with the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion, survived terrible battles and wounds from gas, but did not return home from the war.

His memory is also preserved in a portrait held by Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira. Painted by Mihimamoa Te Kahu circa 1950 and based on a photograph of Private Te Kuru, the oil-on-canvas-board portrait was donated to Auckland Museum by Stewart Te Tana in 2016. AWMM

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Piki Kotuku Te Kuru