Mita Paratene

Forenames

Mita AWMM

Surname

Paratene AWMM

Service number

WWI 16/347 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe

• Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM
• Te Rarawa, Māori AWMM

Birth

10 Sept 1890 AWMM

Birth notes

Son of Piti W PARATENE of Ahipara, North Auckland

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 4 October 2024 - Military Record

Address before enlistment

WW1 Pre 13 Nov 1914 AWMM Ahipara, New Zealand AWMM

Next of kin

WW1 Puti W. Paratene, Ahipara, New Zealand AWMM

Relationship status

• Pre 14 Feb 1915 AWMM Single AWMM
• Husband of Edith Margaret Waite
  Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 4 October 2024 - Military Record

War

World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Campaign

• 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
• 1914-1919 AWMM Western Front AWMM
• 1914-1916 AWMM Egypt AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

WWI 16/347 AWMM

Military service

New Zealand (Maori) Pioneer Battalion AWMM

Medals and Awards

• 1914-1915 Star AWMM
• British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
• Victory Medal AWMM

Enlistment

WW1 17 Oct 1914 AWMM
Age  24 AWMM
Blacksmith/Civilian AWMM

Embarkation details

WW1 14 Feb 1915-26 Mar 1915 AWMM
HMNZT 20 AWMM Vessel was Warrimoo AWMM Private AWMM A Company AWMM 1st Maori Contingent AWMM

Medical notes

• Height, Unknown Period AWMM
  5 feet 9 inches AWMM
• Weight, Unknown Period AWMM
  13 stone 6 pounds AWMM
• Eye colour, Unknown Period AWMM
  Dark AWMM
• Hair colour, Unknown Period AWMM
  Dark AWMM
• Chest, Unknown Period AWMM
  36 inches (min), 40 inches (max) AWMM
• Complexion, Unknown Period AWMM
  Dark AWMM
• Other, Unknown Period AWMM
  NAD in Medical Examination, teeth in very good condition AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  11.9.1915 Dysentry admitted to hospital, Cairo; discharged 8.11.1915 AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  22.2.1916 Lymphangitis- admitted to NZ General Hospital, Cairo ; discharged 28.2.1916 AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  29.7.1917 Slight GSW (Gun shot Wound) to head, admitted No. 6 General Hospital, Rouen, France; discharged 4.8.1917 AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  29.9.1917 Phlebitis left leg- severe, admitted hospital; discharged 6.10.1917 AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  15.10.1917 Phlebitis right leg, admitted NZ General Hospital Brockenhurst AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  15.1.1918 Transferred to Convalescing Depot, Hornchurch, discharged 6.2.1918. AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  15.10.1918 Scabies, admitted 3 NZ General Hospital, Codford AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  19.10.1918 discharged to Convalescing Depot, Codford AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  5.11.1918 Scabies admitted 3 NZ General Hospital, Codford AWMM
• Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
  21.11.1918 discharged to Convalescing Depot, Codford AWMM
• Died from Natural Causes, Cause of Death AWMM

Last rank

Inter War 21 Oct 1919 AWMM
Termination of his Period of Engagement AWMM
Private AWMM
New Zealand (Maori) Pioneer Battalion AWMM

Embarked for Dardanelles 30 June 1915

Married Edith Margaret Waite , a spinster, of Figheldean, Wiltshire 26 March 1919.

Their son, Sidney Mita Paratene was born 27 .3.1919

He returned to New Zealand aboard Corinthic 23.9.19; arriving NZ 21.10.19

Served total of 4 years, 222 days.

Received Pension A.F.B. 27.9.19 and B.R. 3.11.19 AWMM

Death

17 Oct 1941 AWMM
Age  51 AWMM

Cause of death

Died from Natural Causes AWMM

Obituary

DEATH OF MITA PARATENE
Mita Paratene, one of Ahipara’s Maori chiefs, died in the Kaitaia Hospital last Friday and was buried on Saturday. He was a returned soldier and a member of the Mangonui R.S.A., also recruiting officer for the district. Mr. Paratene is survived by his wife and family of four sons and three daughters. One son, Sydney, is serving with the Maori Battalion overseas.

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 4 October 2024 - Northland Age, Volume XI, Issue 4, 23 October 1941, Page 1

Related Serviceperson

External links

• Military personnel file
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R21383754
  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

References

• New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
  Vol1: 562
• Soutar, M. (2019). Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!: Maori In the First World War. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd.
• Information kindly provided by family
• New Zealand. Army. 1st Maori Contingent. Scroll of the 1st New Zealand Maori Contingent, 1915. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-624.
• 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.
• Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
• Their daughter Eileen was my mother
  Public - Gordon - Direct descendant - 10 November 2025 - I’m a son of Eileen and Mita was my grandfather