James Clendon Tau Henare

Born 18 Nov 1911 - Died 2 Apr 1989

Service number: WWII 63390 AWMM
Also known as: Tau AWMM
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: WW2 Major/Military AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, A Company AWMM
War: World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Enquire

Lay a poppy

James Clendon Tau Henare — Portrait of James Henare. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tamaki Paenga Hira (PH-NEG-C23065). This image may be subject to copyright

Show empty fields Hide sources

Wars and conflicts

War: World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
Campaign: North Africa AWMM
Italy AWMM
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Service number: WWII 63390 AWMM
Military service: —
Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers: —

Military decorations

Medals and Awards: Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
DSO was awarded on 30 April 1946. Citation: 'Major Henare has fought with 28 New Zealand (Maori) Battalion for nearly four years. He has been a platoon commander and company commander and has always shown fearlessness and courage of the highest order. He commanded one of the companies which took part in the attack on Cassino Railway Station on 15 February 1944. In this battle very heavy opposition was met and it was only by superb courage that Major Henare was able to lead his men on to their objective despite many casualties. His complete fearlessness in this action was an example to all about him. Later he commanded his company in the Rimini battle with equal gallantry. He then became second in command and temporarily took over command of the Battalion between the River Reno and the River Po on the 23 April 1945 when his courage and energy inspired a tired battalion to new efforts and resulted in the mopping up of the enemy south of the River Po. Major Henare's bravery has throughout his service been an example to the whole battalion.' Haigh and Polaschek New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order, p. 121. AWMM
1939-1945 Star AWMM
Africa Star (8th Army clasp) AWMM
Italy Star AWMM
Defence Medal AWMM
War Medal 1939-1945 with oak leaf AWMM
Coronation Medal ER 1953 AWMM
Silver Jubilee Medal 1977 AWMM
New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) AWMM

Training and Enlistment

Military training: OCTU Trentham, Commissioned 12 August 1940 AWMM
Branch Trade Proficiency: —
Enlistment: WW2 Farmer/Civilian AWMM
Age on enlistment: —
Occupation before enlistment: —

Embarkations

Embarkation details: WW2 Lieutenant/Military AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, A Company AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM

Medical history

Medical notes: Height, Unknown Period AWMM
5 foot 11 1/2 inches AWMM
Eye colour, Unknown Period AWMM
blue AWMM
Hair colour, Unknown Period AWMM
Dark AWMM
Build, Unknown Period AWMM
medium build AWMM
Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
24 October 1942 severe shrapnel wounds to his left leg. AWMM
Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
He was subsequently twice wounded and also shot down whilst in a spotter plane. AWMM

Last known rank

Last rank: WW2 22 May 1946 AWMM
Discharged to the Reserve List of Officers AWMM
Major/Military AWMM
28 (Maori) Battalion, A Company AWMM
Last rank: —

Biographical information

James Henare was the son of Tau Henare (MP for Northern Maori, 1914-38). He was educated at Motatau School, Awanui, Takapuna, Thorndon Normal School, Sacred Heart College, Auckland. He joined the Maori Battalion of Massey Agricultural College as a private and rose to be its commanding officer. He played football, tennis and cricket. He was vice president of the Kawakawa Dental Clinic Association, executive tangi of the National Trust Board, chairman of the Motatau School Committee and a member of the Kawakawa district RSA and on the Kawakawa tribal executive. In the 1946 and 1949 elections he contested the Northern Maori seat.

In 1933 he married Rosie, daughter of Johnson Cherrington. They had 3 sons and daughters.

In North Africa Henare was Second-in-Command of A Company and was engaged at Medenine and Point 209.

Henare was wounded in the attack on the German forces between Miteiriya Ridge, Ruweisat Ridge and the Qattara Depression on 24 October 1942. The Maori Battalion was to ensure that the sappers clearing the vital tracks through the minefields for the passage of guns and armour were not molested by overlooked strongpoints. The account of the night's operation reads: The assaulting infantry moved towards the opening line of the barrage, which was due to start rolling at twenty-three minutes past ten; fifteen minutes later the mopping-up parties followed into the mixture of moonlight, dust and smoke. A and B Companies, following 23 Battalion....were caught in a counter-barrage and there were some casualties, including Captain Henare. In October 1943 the Battalion moved across the Mediterranean to Italy and A Company commanded by Henare was engaged at Orsogna, Cassino, the advance on Florence and the Rimini campaign. The New Zealand Division's last battle in Italy was in April 1945. Henare was promoted to the rank of Major. The 28 Battalion fought five major battles for the Senio, Santerno, Sillaro, Gaiana and Idice rivers and smashed three German divisions, 98th, 278th and 4th Parachute in the process before it broke through to Trieste.

With the end of the war in Europe - recorded in the war diary in capital letters: NEWS RECEIVED TODAY THAT THE GERMANS HAD SURRENDERED UNCONDITIONALLY TO THE ALLIES, AT 0241 HRS 7 MAY 1945 - the Maori Battalion was asking 'where do we go now'. Many in the battalion had seen long service and were due to return home, others were organised for service in the Pacific. Lt-Col. Henare was the commander of this second group. However the surrender of Japan on 15 August changed those plans and Henare returned to Wellington on the Dominion Monarch arriving on 23 January 1946. The troops assembled on the wharf and were met at the Aotea Quay gates with all the ceremony pertaining to the return of a war party. Anania Amohau (a returned original member of the battalion) and Henare enacted the ancient ceremony of the wero.

Lt Col Sir James Henare, KBE, DSO enlisted as Private, commissioned, was promoted Captain in 1942, and Major in 1945. He commanded his last parade of 28 Battalion in 1946.

In an interview in 1984 Sir James had this to say about his childhood and the influence of the elders on his development: 'I was brought up in an age when our tupuna and elders demanded instant obedience and respect for authority. Whakaiti, or humility, ethics and good manners were part also of our training. For example, out of respect for visitors in the homes and on the marae, the tangata whenua and certainly the children were not permitted to eat until the visitors had eaten. As children and later as young people we were not allowed to speak in front of our elders in a hui. Indeed we were to be seen, and not heard and to use our listening powers. I was taught that service to one's fellow man was the greatest reward in life'.

On the subject of Maori culture he said 'My love of my culture was instilled in me at an early age, cultivated in my attending the last whare wananga of my subtribe Ngatihine. All my cultural background and tuition was eagerly sought by me and freely given by my tutors.'

His grandparents and his father exhorted him never to leave his people and the marae and this sense of loyalty kept him close to his home. In the same sense of loyalty and obedience he accepted the decision of his father and grand uncle on whom and when he should marry. 'My wife and I were betrothed (Puhi) to each other when we were both around about three years of age. Two weeks after I was informed, that it was time to get married, we were wed.'

He returned to New Zealand on the Dominion Monarch on 23 January 1946.

Discussing the future of Maori he said: 'We must believe and appreciate that among the many qualities indispensable to the progress and success of our people are self knowledge, mastery over our follies and passions, a keen sense of duty and moral obligation. Foremost in the greatness of a person as for a race, is its character.

'As the hastening years unfold, let us preserve the good that is old and add to it the good that is new, in our march towards an even brighter and more glorious testing. Kia ora ra koutou i raro i te maru o Te Runga Rawa.'

Tu Tangata 19, Aug/Sept. 1984, p. 12-13.

Discharged to the Reserve List of Officers on 22 May 1946 AWMM

The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

James Clendon Tau Henare