Teira Pokai

Forenames

Teira AWMM

Surname

Pokai AWMM

Also known as

Taira Taylor POKAI

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 31 July 2023 - CASUALTIES IN SECOND N.Z.E.F.
GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXIX, ISSUE 20653, 2 JANUARY 1942, PAGE 2

Service number

39593 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe

Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM

Date of birth

b. 1909

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 31 July 2023 - https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/teira-pokai

Place of birth

East Coast, Gisborne

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 31 July 2023 - https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/teira-pokai

Birth notes

Son of Teira Pokai and Jamati Jautuhi Poka of Ruatoria

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 18 October 2022 - https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/teira-pokai

Address before enlistment

Unknown AWMM Ruatoria, New Zealand AWMM

Next of kin

Mr T. Pokai (father), Ruatoria, New Zealand AWMM

Relationship status

Unknown AWMM Single AWMM

War

World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Campaign

Western Desert AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

39593 AWMM

Enlistment

WW2 Labourer/Civilian AWMM

Embarkation details

WW2 Private AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, C Company AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Second Echelon AWMM

Medical notes

Killed on Active Service, Cause of Death AWMM

Last rank

Private AWMM
28 (Maori) Battalion, C Company AWMM

• Teire Pokai was the son of Teira Pokai and Jamati Jautuhi Pokai, of Reporua, New Zealand; husband of Teoarani Pokai, of Reporua. AWMM
• Teira (Taira) Taylor POKAI was the son of Teira Pokai and Jamati Jautuhi Poka of Ruatoria
  Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 31 July 2023 - REF: Nga Tama Toa by Monty SOUTAR - pages 61 & 69

Death

16 Dec 1941 AWMM
Age  32 AWMM

Cause of death

Killed on Active Service AWMM

Obituary

Died of Wounds: Pokai, Taira Taylor. - Father. Mr. T. Pokai, Ruatoria

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 31 July 2023 - CASUALTIES IN SECOND N.Z.E.F.
GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXIX, ISSUE 20653, 2 JANUARY 1942, PAGE 2

Memorial name

• Alamein Memorial, El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt AWMM
• Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM
• Gisborne First World War Memorial, The Esplanade, Kaiti, Gisborne AWMM
• MONUMENT UNVEILED for the POKAI Soldiers
  “EVERGREEN MEMORY” (S.R.) RUATORIA, March 17. 1945
  Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 31 July 2023 - MONUMENT UNVEILED
  GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXXII, ISSUE 21665, 17 MARCH 1945, PAGE 4

Related objects

External links

• 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
  http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/
  Further Reference
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
  https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2123891
  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

References

• Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139.
• 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 150
• Soutar, M. (2008). Nga tama toa = The price of citizenship : C Company 28 (Maori) Battalion 1939-1945. Albany, N.Z.: David Bateman.
  Portrait published in Soutar (2008)