George Arapata Te Kuru

Forenames

George Arapata AWMM

Surname

Te Kuru AWMM

Service number

WWII 5590 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe

Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM

Birth

22 Sept 1908 AWMM

Address before enlistment

WW2 Unknown AWMM Care of Native Department, Rotorua, New Zealand AWMM

Next of kin

WW2 Mrs Takimoana Te Kuru (mother), Porangahau, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand AWMM

Relationship status

Unknown AWMM Widowed/WWII AWMM

War

World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Campaign

1941 AWMM Crete AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

WWII 5590 AWMM

Enlistment

WW2 Civil servant/Civilian AWMM

Embarkation details

WW2 Second Lieutenant AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, D Company AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Second Echelon AWMM

Medical notes

Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last rank

Second Lieutenant AWMM
28 (Maori) Battalion, D Company AWMM

George Te Kuru was the son of Arapata Topi Te Kuru and Takimoana Te Kuru, of Porangahau, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. AWMM

Death

24 May 1941 AWMM
Age  32 AWMM

Cause of death

Killed in Action AWMM

Memorial name

• Athens Memorial, Phaleron War Cemetery, Athens, Greece AWMM
• Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM

Related objects

External links

• 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
  http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/
  Further Reference
• 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
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
  https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2629962
  Sources Used
• D Company, 28th Māori Battalion, Palmerston North, 1940. The soldiers were identified by D Company's Company Sergeant Major, Rangi Logan, in the 1990s. Names are listed from left to right in each row. Some identifications remain unconfirmed. Identifications: 28 Māori Battalion website, ‘D Company 1940, group photo’. Back row: Unidentified, Tim Pahau, unidentified, possibly Katene, Bunny Hawkins (Wakatu), Johnson Whare, unidentified, Major Rewi, George Tawhai, Willy Rupe, Eddy (Kapai) Ngapuhi (unconfirmed), unidentified, Eddie Ngapuhi (unconfirmed), unidentified, unidentified, Joe Larkins (Rangitāne), unidentified, Rangi Mateparae, Norman Tane (Te Kuiti), Noble Carroll, Bill Tauri, unidentified. Third row: Unidentified, Jack Tainui, unidentified, Jim Koti, J. J. Taha, Kiwa Pomare Hura, Joe Te Rangi (Chatham Islands), unidentified, Bill Rangitawa, Nelson Carroll, unidentified, Iriwhata (Ponchey) Hunter, Don Mitchell (Wairoa), Waki Lewis (Ngāti Kauwhata), William Heperi, Bill Iwihora, Tuakana (Tew) Nikora, John Rangi (Waitōtara), George (Old Horse) Martin, John (Swanne) Collins, Philip Parahi, Nirai Apatu, George Cook, Bob Ropiha, Tom Ormond (Māhia), unidentified, Taake Karetu, Jim Tahau. Second row: Bill Kurupo (Le Bas), Barney Kingi, Willy Tamaki, Te Raetea Kahu Paku, Felix Edwards, Boy Tamaki, Lemuel Mahanga (Wairoa, Hawke's Bay), Jim Roach, Walla West, Jack Rewiti, Bob Mangere, Jim Kihi (Ngāti Maniapoto), Willie Komene, Maurice Anderson, unidentified, Pat Wright, unidentified, Les Wipiti, Peter Tapine (Piha), Jim Bailey (Whanganui) or Boss Pineaha, Peter Tahatu, Joe Hiroti (Whanganui), Robert Fowler, Boyce Te Mana, Joe Manaena, John Parata (Pehi), Mat Bailey (Pūtiki). Front row: Hori Tauroa Roa, Fraser Goodnight, Paul Kurupo, Bill Tukere Te Anga, Dean (Hati) Paipa, Martin Murphy, George Te Hau, Bill Mohi, Jackson Martin, Tom Pitama (identified as Petaina), Rangi Logan, George Te Kuru, Teri Gilroy, Captain Ces Blomfield, Major Humphrey Dyer, Paul Te Punga, Wally McKay, Sergeant Ted Pohio, Whiti Mane (Hastings), Jerry Smith (Whanganui), Barney Manawatu, Stan Cooper, Tom Smiler, Stanley Rangi Martin, Sam Komene, Henry Skipper, George Turner, Howe Iwihora. 'Maori Battalion, D Company, Palmerston North’. Photograph by Richard John James Thomson, 1940. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, PA.000038.
  https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/213178
  Further Reference

References

• Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
• 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.
  WW2 2: WW2 182
• Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139.
• Information kindly provided by family
• McClymont, W. (1959). To Greece. Wellington, N.Z.: Department Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
• Davin, D. (1953). Crete. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.