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Cenotaph record

Henare Wepiha Te Wainohu

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Portrait, originally published in Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War - No known copyright restrictions

Portrait, originally published in Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War - No known copyright …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Henare Wepiha AWMM
  • Surname
    Te Wainohu AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    • Henare Wainohu AWMM
    • Henare AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 16/545 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
    Iwi Māori AWMM
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion
    Anglican, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    4 June 1882 AWMM Mohaka, Wairoa AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Unknown AWMM Mohaka, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mrs Erawa Wainohu (wife), Mohaka, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 14 February 1915 AWMM Married AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
    • 1915-1916 Gallipoli AWMM
    • 1914-1919 Western Front AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    • Army AWMM
    • 1st NZ Maori Contingent Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 27 March 2016 - Military Record
  • Service number
    WWI 16/545 AWMM
  • Military service
    1915-1919 Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 27 March 2016 - Military Record
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Victory Medal AWMM
    • British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
    • Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) AWMM
      London Gazette 31 December 1918, p15231, Rec No 2786 AWMM
    • 1914-1915 Star
      British War Medal
      Victory Medal
      Serbian Order of the White Eagle (5th class with swords) awarded Oct 1916 by the King of Serbia for distinguished services during the M.E.F.
      Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) awarded Nov 1918 - specially mentioned in Despatches by Sir Douglas Haig for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty during the period 26 Feb 1918 to m/night 16-17/9/1918 in France Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 27 March 2016 - Military Record

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment
    32yrs Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 27 March 2016 - Military Record

Embarkations

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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
    Accidental Death, Cause of Death AWMM
    Stomach cancer AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Listed as WAINOHU, Henare on the Nominal Roll and by Archives New Zealand AWMM
    • Henare Wepiha Te Wainohu was a chaplain in the Native Contingent at Gallipoli. The first Māori unit to serve in the First World War, the contingent had Māori junior officers, but Pākehā (non-Māori) filled the higher ranks.

      There was initial opposition to the idea of sending Māori troops into battle, but after months of training in Egypt and garrison duty in Malta, the Native Contingent headed to Gallipoli in July 1915. During the Sari Bair offensive in August, they fought beside their Pākehā comrades.

      On the eve of the battle, Te Wainohu preached a sermon exhorting the soldiers to be fearless in battle and not to turn their backs on the enemy. He reminded them of their duty to uphold the warrior tradition of the Māori: ‘remember you have the mana, the honour, and the good name of the Māori people in your keeping this night'. This appeal inspired the soldiers.

      Te Wainohu risked his life for others on many occasions at Gallipoli. Together with the medical officer, Major Peter Buck (Te Rangi Hiroa), he exposed himself to fire to carry out the wounded, distribute water and comfort the dying. Wounded in the back in September, Te Wainohu accompanied the reorganised New Zealand Pioneer Battalion to France after the evacuation of Gallipoli. Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 27 March 2016 - http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/hwtewainohu
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    1 October 1920 AWMM
    Age 38 AWMM
    Wairoa, Hawkes Bay AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    • Accidental Death AWMM
    • Seriously ill for some time before death Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 27 March 2016 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15333, 1 October 1920, Page 3
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
    Te Uhi pa Urupa, Mohaka Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 27 March 2016 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15333, 1 October 1920, Page 3
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
    • A warm tribute to the memory of the late Chaplain Major Rev Henry Wepiha Wainohu was paid by the Rev. H. l. Kohere, of Te Araroa who was in town yesterday. A member of the Ngāti Pihauwera tribe of Mohaka, his parents being one of the leading families.
      Rev Wepiha Wainohu was educated first at the village school & afterwards at Te Aute. He subsequently came to Te Rau College, Gisborne, where he was trained under the Rev Canon Chatterton & was ordained at Manutuke. Wepiha Wainohu's first native parish was at Wairoa. On the formation of the first Maori Contingent, Rev Wepiha Wainohu joined up as chaplain, & he rendered yeoman service with the Maori Battalion attending to the wounded and cheering the men. Prior to the Maoris great charge at Gallipoli Padre Wepiha was granted permission to address the men. He told them of the pending attack—perhaps their last— & expressed the hope that they would uphold the traditions of their ancestors in far off NZ. After the singing of the Hymn, Jesus, Love of my Soul, the Maoris set out on their famous attack. Gaining their objective, carrying everything before them, the gallant Maoris held on without food for long hours. Their first night in the front line the Maori soldiers were cheered by the sight of their brave "padre," who carefully crawled up & joined them in the trenches.
      For his services at Gallipoli Chaplain-Major Wepiha Wainohu was wanted the White Eagle of Serbia. Accompanying the men to France the Padre continued his valuable services, carrying on continuously until Padre Hakiwai arrived, when he spent a short leave in England. Resuming, he carried on to the end & returned home with the battalion. After the Gisborne Hui, Chaplain-Major Wepiha Wainohu paid a visit to the Coast to meet the relatives of the departed men.
      A fine forcible speaker, and a genial character, the late padre was beloved by the Maori soldiers. Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 27 March 2016 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15334, 2 October 1920, Page 4
    • Continued:
      He returned to Wairoa where he resumed his work in his native parish. His death, which arose from peritonitis, will come as a sad blow to the Maori people of that district. Wepiha will be remembered by many Gisbornites for his distinction on the local football field when a student of Te Rau. He represented Gisborne during several seasons, being a prominent forward when the old "West End" team was at the height of its glory. His age was only about 38 years. Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 27 March 2016 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15334, 2 October 1920, Page 4
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers. AWMM
    • New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      Vol1: 748 AWMM
    • Haigh, J. (1983). Men of faith and courage: the official history of the New Zealand Chaplains Department. Auckland, N.Z.: The Word Publishers. AWMM
    • Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications AWMM
      Vol. 1: Includes portrait AWMM
    • Soutar, M. (2019). Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!: Maori In the First World War. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd. AWMM
    • Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2. AWMM

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
27 March 2016Lorraine MGisborne, NZResearcher

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