Tokena Pokai
Died 5 Sept 1940
- Service number
- 39139 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Private AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, C Company AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- —
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
- Unknown AWMM Mangatuna, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Miss Tipi Pokai (sister), Ruatoria, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Unknown AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- 39139 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- —
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW2 Labourer/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Private AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, C Company AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Second Echelon AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Accidental Death, Cause of Death AWMM
Accidentally killed on active service AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Private AWMM
28 (Maori) Battalion, C Company AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Tokena Pokai was the son of the Hon. Thomas T. Pokai and Teorani Pokai, of Ruatoria, New Zealand. AWMM
- The parents listed for Tokena Pokai are incorrect. His father was Henare Pokai and his mother Kahiwa Taiapa Pokai. Tokena was my uncle.Public - Catherine Jane - Other relative - 14 October 2018 - Family documents, Maori Land court records
- MILITARY FUNERAL - MAORI DISPATCH RIDER -VICTIM OF ROAD ACCIDENT
(By Air Mail—From "The Post's" London Representative.) LONDON, September 23. A Maori military funeral took place at a cemetery in Kent, when Private Tokema Pokai, aged 22, a dispatch rider, killed in a road accident, was buried. A contingent of smart Maori troops followed the coffin, which was covered with a Union Jack, and at the cemetery chapel a guard of honour stood with arms reversed and bowed heads. The service, which was conducted in Maori, except for an address by Lieutenant-Colonel G. V. Gerard, C.F., Bishop of waiapu, was taken by Captain the Rev. K. T. Harawira, C.F. Bishop Gerard said it was a sad fate that had befallen their comrade, but it was part of the period of adventure which had come to them, and in such days death came sometimes by accident as well as through active service. These things could not always be avoided, sad though they were. Photographs of the funeral service would be sent to the victim's parents. Captain the Rev. Harawira referred to the fact that that was the first casualty the Maori battalion had experienced. He extended sympathy to the dead man's two brothers, "who were serving in the same battalion, and who were the chief mourners at the funeral. A bugler sounded "The Last Post" and Reveille, and volleys were fired by riflemen. A Maori oration was delivered by Captain Werohia. There were many wreaths from New Zealand officers, n.c.o.s, and men.Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 8 March 2016 - Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 97, 21 October 1940, Page 9 - Tokena Pokai is not the son of Persons above( Hon.thomas t.Pokai and Teorani Pokai ) He is the son of the late Henare and Kahiwa Pokai nee Taiapa of Tikitiki. NZPublic - Jacki - 12 January 2016 - nil
About death
- Death
- 5 Sept 1940 AWMM
Age 22 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Accidental Death AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Maidstone Cemetery, Kent, England AWMM Plot C.C.1. Grave 103. AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- MAORI DISPATCH RIDER ROAD ACCIDENT VICTIM LONDON, Sept. 23. A Maori military funeral took place at a cemetery in Kent, when Private Tokena Pokai, aged 22, a dispatch rider, killed in a road accident, was buried. A contingent of smart Maori troops followed the coffin, which was covered with a Union Jack, and at the cemetery chapel a Guard of Honour stood with arms reversed and bowed heads. The service, which was conducted in Maori, except for an address by Lieutenant-Colonel G, V. Gerard, C.F., Bishop of Waiapu, was taken by Captain the Rev. K. T. Harawira, C.F. Bishop Gerard said it was a sad fate that had befallen their comrade, but it was part of the period of adventure which had come to them, and in such days death came sometimes by accident as well as through active service. These things could not always be avoided, sad though they were. Photographs of the funeral service would be sent to the victim’s parents. Captain the Rev. Harawira referred to the fact that that was the first casualty the Maori Battalion had experienced. He extended sympathy to the dead man’s two brothers, who were serving in the same battalion, and who were the chief mourners at the funeral.
A bugler sounded “The Last Post” and “Reveille,” and volleys were fired by riflemen. A Maori oration was delivered by Captain Werohia. There were many wreaths from New Zealand officers, n.c.o.s, and men.Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 30 April 2023 - MILITARY FUNERAL
GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXVII, ISSUE 20389, 28 OCTOBER 1940, PAGE 5 - Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM
- Gisborne First World War Memorial, The Esplanade, Kaiti, Gisborne AWMM
Related objects
Sources
- 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/2654619
Sources Used
- 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
- 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
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