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Cenotaph record

Eruera Dennis Hamon

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Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War II Hall of Memories Panel H_006. Image taken June 2020.

Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War II Hall of Memories Panel H_006. Image taken June 2020.

© Auckland Museum CC BY AWMM

Identity

About

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Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    8 February 1920 AWMM Te Karaka, Gisborne AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
    son of Henare (Henry) HAMON & Riria (Lydia) Maria Sawyers Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 31 October 2015 - Research
  • Address before enlistment
    Pre 30 December 1939 AWMM 10 Waverley Street, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mr Henare Hamon (father), 10 Waverley Street, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 1 May 1940 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
    Western Desert AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    39202 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW2 30 December 1939 AWMM
    Age 19 AWMM
    Labourer/Civilian AWMM
    Gisborne, Gisborne AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • Height, Unknown Period AWMM
      5 foot 11 inches AWMM
    • Complexion, Unknown Period AWMM
      half caste AWMM
    • Hair colour, Unknown Period AWMM
      Black AWMM
    • Eye colour, Unknown Period AWMM
      brown AWMM
    • Died of wounds, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Eruera Hamon was the son of Henare Hamon and Riria Hamon (nee Sawyer) of Gisborne, New Zealand.

    Entered Camp 26 January 1940, embarked 1 May 1940 for Scotland, and arrived in Egypt 4 March 1941.

    Wounded in action between 18 and 30 November 1941.

    He sketched "The Spirit of the Bayonet" as part of a 2 NZEF art competition. A copy is held by the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

    Armoury file. Changed birthdate to enlist, 8 February 1918 is incorrect. 28 (Maori) Battalion, Main Body. AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    30 November 1941 AWMM
    Age 21 AWMM
    Western Desert, North Africa AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Died of wounds AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt AWMM 9.H.6 AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
    Advice was received by Mr. Henry Hamon, Waverly street, Gisborne, on Monday, that his son Eruera (Dennis) Hamon, died of wounds on November 30. Private Hamon enlisted at the age of 19 and before leaving for overseas with the main body of the Maori Battalion, was an employee of the Gisborne Refrigerating Company. He was connected with station 2ZM, and prior to his enlistment, acted as announcer for the Hawaiian session. He was a keen follower of sport, particularly boxing, at which lie showed great promise. Private Hamon was wounded in both the Greece and Cretan campaigns and again in Libya, from which wounds lie eventually died. He was very popular with his company. Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 29 April 2023 - GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXIX, ISSUE 20669, 21 JANUARY 1942, PAGE 4
  • Memorial name
    Gisborne War Memorial Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 29 April 2023 - https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/gisborne-region-first-world-war-memorial
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM
    • Gisborne First World War Memorial, The Esplanade, Kaiti, Gisborne AWMM

Roll of Honour

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  • “The Spirit of the Bayonet” A successful Gisborne Maori artist, Pte. Eruera Hamon, a member of the Maori Battalion, won first prize in the black and white section of the N.Z.E.F. Christmas competitions in the Middle East. His drawing, which he entitled “The Spirit of the Bayonet,” was published in the N.Z.E.F. Times, Christmas issue, December 22, 1941, and Has now been reproduced in the New Zealand Listener. Pte. Hamon died of wounds in Libya before “The Spirit of the Bayonet” was published. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henare Hamon, live at 10 Waverley street, Gisborne.
    REF: GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXIX, ISSUE 20754, 2 MAY 1942, PAGE 2
    Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 4 August 2023
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Information kindly provided by family AWMM
    • Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139. AWMM
    • Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
    • Soutar, M. (2008). Nga tama toa = The price of citizenship : C Company 28 (Maori) Battalion 1939-1945. Albany, N.Z.: David Bateman. AWMM
      Portrait published in Soutar (2008) AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 2 (Embarkations to 30th June, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 2: WW2 78 AWMM
    • Murphy, W.E. (1961). The relief of Tobruk. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
18 March 2024Lorraine Mona Gisborne Researcher
31 October 2015Lorraine MGisborne, NZResearcher

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