Matarehua Wikiriwhi
Born 4 Apr 1918
- Service number
- WWII 39282 AWMM
- WWII 1523 AWMM
- Also known as
- Monty AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Captain/Military AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 4 Apr 1918 AWMM
Rotorua, New Zealand AWMM - Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
- He is a son of Mr. Eruera 'Wikiriwhi, of the Arawa tribe - Western Bay PlentyPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 4 August 2023 - MAORI SOLDIERS' AWARDS
AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME LXXIV, ISSUE 161, 9 JULY 1943, PAGE 4 - Address before enlistment
- Unknown AWMM Cape Runaway, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
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- Next of kin
- Mrs Tiaria Delamere (sister), Te Piki, Cape Runaway, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Unknown AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- Tunisia AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWII 39282 AWMM
- WWII 1523 AWMM
- Military service
- 28 (Maori) Battalion, B Company AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
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Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
During the attack on Casino railway station on 17 February 1944, Capt. Wikiriwhi commanded the forward company which attained it's objective after particularly fierce fighting and against stiff opposition. Capt. Wikiriwhi was wounded during the attack but insisted on carrying on and only his magnificent handling of the company enabled it to overcome the enemy resistance. He personally led the attack on on several enemy strongpoints and despite heavy casualties among his men he was able, by his own example, his fortitude, coolness and disregard of personal safety, to lead his men to victory. At one stage it seemed that the opposition would prove too strong but Capt. Wikiriwhi quickly appreciated the position and turned the tide by superb tactical handling. He was wounded a second time during this action but refused to allow his men to carry him out owing to the danger to to which they would thereby be exposed. (London Gazette 20/7/1944 (I)) AWMM - Military Cross (MC) AWMM
20 Jul 1944 AWMM
In the attack on Takrouna village on the night 19/20 April 1943 Lt. Wikiriwhi, intelligence Officer of his unit was personally responsible for the reorganisation of his battalion during an extremely difficult period of the attack. In the course of the attack his unit suffered heavy casualties including his Commanding Officer, Adjutant and the whole of the officers of the two forward companies. Undaunted however, Lt. Wikiriwhi, with a quick grasp of the situation, pushed on with the attack and with cool deliberation, courage, determination and with complete disregard for his own personal safety and despite fierce enemy shell, mortar and machine-gun fire he set about the further task of reorganising the companies, establishing and consolidating them in fixed positions and establishing Battalion Headquarters. First light on 20 April 1943 found the battalion in a difficult situation. There was no communication with Brigade Headquarters, all Company Commanders had been wounded and evacuated and the hard fighting during the night had caused considerable disorganisation. The area had been subjected to heavy mortar and artillery fire. Lt. Wikiriwhi assumed command of the battalion, completed the reorganisation of the companies, and consolidated the ground won. Until relieved at 1400 hours he carried out the triple role of Commanding Officer, Adjutant and Intelligence Officer. Throughout the entire action Lt. Wikiriwhi displayed coolness under fire, and the firmness, initiative and judgement of an experienced soldier. His continual cheerfulness, calm and complete disregard of enemy fire inspired his unit during a very difficult and dangerous period. Only when satisfied that the situation was stabilized and a senior officer available to take over from him did he relax his efforts. He then reported personally to Brigade Headquarters. (London Gazette 22/7/1943 (I)) AWMM - 1939-1945 Star AWMM
- Africa Star (8th Army clasp) AWMM
- Italy Star AWMM
- Defence Medal AWMM
- War Medal 1939-1945 with oak leaf AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
- Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) AWMM
- Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- WW2 Musterer/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Private AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, Headquarters AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Second Echelon AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
Wounded four times AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Captain/Military AWMM
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Capt M. Wikiriwhi, DSO, MC, m.i.d.; Pukekohe; born Rotorua, 4 Apr 1918; shepherd; twice wounded. (Source: Cody, J.F. 28 Maori Battalion. p.47.)
'The problem for the Divisional Commander to decide was whether to continue the smoke or revert to shelling. It was decided that smoke was more likely to keep down casualties and every available weapon that had smoke shells was ordered to use them. Smoke was, in fact, a two-edged weapon, as the murk enabled the enemy to get in so close that the guns could not fire on them for fear of dropping their shells among the Maoris.
Infantry the Maoris could deal with while their ammunition lasted, but when two tanks overran sections of 10 and 12 Platoons Captain Wikiriwhi ordered a withdrawal.
When tank attack came in I was with remnants of my Coy HQ right in the station, i.e. 1st objective. The forward sections must have been overrun by then. They were not more than 5ox [yards] from us and opened up with 75 mm and MG. That was when I gave the order to withdraw.
More men were hit returning to the start line. Wikiriwhi stopped to rally some who had taken cover from the firing and was seriously wounded. Lieutenant Takurua and two others dragged him to the shelter of the railway embankment and used his pistol lanyard as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. He ordered them to leave him there and get back while they might. Takurua was killed a few minutes later. Those who did get safely back were a pitiful remnant of the two hundred who had gone into the attack—26 Arawas and 40 Ngapuhi. A few more straggled in during the night.
In high places another method of reducing Cassino was being worked out, for the Indian effort had also failed and the beach-head at Anzio was not secure. Back with the rest of the battalion, the Maori survivors of the attack on the railway station were sleeping the sleep of soldiers after a hard battle. Private Maihi, with two holes drilled through him, reported back at midday, and some hours later Captain Wikiriwhi crawled in to 24 Battalion's FDLs.
By a fortunate coincidence he had been left in such a position that a piece of board and a discarded gas cape were within his reach. He split the board with an Italian stiletto he had carried since the days in the desert and fashioned a pair of splints to hold a leg shattered with machine-gun bullets so that it was possible to move. When it was dark he crawled up on to the railway line and, using the sleepers as levers, hauled himself back to safety. An MC was added to his Takrouna DSO.' (Source: Cody, J.F. 28 Maori Battalion. p. 362.) AWMM
About death
- Death
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- Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
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- Death notes
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- Cemetery
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- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Sources
- External links
- 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/
Further Reference - Auckland Star, 14 July 1943, p.5
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=AS19430714.2.85.1
Further Reference - 'The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy.' (London Gazette, 20 July 1944, p.3378.). Military Cross.
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36615/supplements/3378
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
- 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945
- References
- 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 199 - Haigh, J., Polaschek, A. (Eds.). (1993). New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, N.Z.: Authors.
The citation relating to his action on Takrouna is on page 279 of New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order by J.Bryant Haigh and A.J. Polaschek. - Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
pp.47, 90-1, 116, 229, 242, 256, 287, 295, 298, 302-3, 318, 346, 356, 358-9, 362, 428. - Phillips, N.C. (1957). Italy. Volume 1 : The Sangro to Cassino. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
pp.232, 237. - Stevens, W.G. (1962). Bardia to Enfidaville. Dept. of Internal Affairs, War History Branch, Wellington, N.Z.
pp.280, 317, 329, 330. - Gardiner, W. (2019). Ake ake kia kaha e! : Forever brave! : B Company 28 (Maori) Battalion, 1939-1945. Auckland : Bateman Books.
- 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.
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