Fred Te Namu
Born 20 Sept 1916 - Died 17 Dec 1943
- Service number
- 65203 AWMM
- Also known as
- Pereri Wirihana Te Namu AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Sergeant AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, A Company AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 20 Sept 1916 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- Unknown AWMM Kapenga, Rotorua, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mr W. Te Namu (father), Kaikohe, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Unknown AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- Italy AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- 65203 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Military Medal (MM) AWMM
28 Jan 1943 AWMM
This soldier showed exceptional courage during the attack on Point 29 on the night of 1-2 November 1942. With rifle and hand-grenades he killed seven of the enemy, wounding several more. Later he held his section forward and destroyed two more enemy posts killing three men and wounded several more. Later he led his section forward and destroyed two more enemy posts killing three men and wounding and and capturing one. He then returned to the first enemy post and mounted one of the captured machine-guns, manning it for the remainder of the night and the whole of the next day under heavy mortar and machine-gun fire. His conduct throughout the action was a source of inspiration to his comrades. (London Gazette 28/1/1943 (I)) The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Te Namu, Fred. (Ref. WO 373/23/458). Military Medal. 28 Jan 1943 AWMM - War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
- Military Medal (MM) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW2 Unknown AWMM Labourer/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Private AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, A Company AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
Wounded October 1942 AWMM - Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
- Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Sergeant AWMM
28 (Maori) Battalion, A Company AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Fred Te Namu was the son of W. Te Namu and Riria, of Tautoro, New Zealand.
Born at Tautoro, near Kaikohe in 1916, and educated at Tautoro School, Fred was a prominent footballer before the war. He played rugby league for Tautoro and rugby for Kaikohe, and was selected as a Bay of Island rep, but went to live in Rotorua, where he later enlisted for service with the Maori Battalion. He left New Zealand in 1941 and fought in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sicily and Italy.
He was awarded theMilitary Medal as a result of an attack by the Maori battalion on a strongly held anti-tank position at El Alamein on the night of 1-2 November 1942. With rifle and hand-grenades he killed seven of the enemy and wounded several more. Later he held his section forward and destroyed two more enemy posts killing three men and wounded several more. Later he led his section forward and destroyed two more enemy posts killing three men and wounding and capturing one. He returned to the army post and mounted a captured machine-gun manning it for the remainder of the night and the whole of the next day under heavy mortar and machine-gun fire.
Next of kin details compiled from information in the Casualty lists published in the newspapers. AWMM
About death
- Death
- 17 Dec 1943 AWMM
Age 27 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy AWMM XVI. D. 20. AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/
Further Reference - 'The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East.' (London Gazette, 28 January 1943, p.526.). Military Medal.
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35879/supplements/526
Further Reference - The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Te Namu, Fred. (Ref. WO 373/23/458). Military Medal.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7360666
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2215045
Sources Used - Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington: Dept. of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. Digital copy.
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20210104000423/http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Maor.html
Further Reference
- 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
- References
- Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139.
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 4 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1941 to 30 June, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
WW2 4: WW2 347 - Northland roll of honour and servicemen of WW II [electronic resource]. (2002). Whangarei, N.Z.: Returned Services Association.
- Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
- Information kindly provided by family
- Coffey, J., & Wood, B. (2008). 100 years : Māori Rugby League, 1908-2008. Wellington, N.Z. : Huia.
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