Matthew Stewart
Born 9 Jan 1892 - Died 8 Dec 1975
- Service number
- WWI 12/451 AWMM
- Also known as
- Matthew Rapana Stewart AWMM
- Matt AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW1 Sergeant AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- SargeantPublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 13 April 2015 - Military Personnel File
- Forenames
- Matthew AWMM
- Matthew RapanaPublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 16 April 2015 - family
- Surname
- Stewart AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- Matthew Rapana Stewart AWMM
- Matt AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 12/451 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- MalePublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 13 April 2015 - Family Papers
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM
- Te Whakatōhea, Ngā Iwi o Mataatua, Mataatua, Waka o Ngā Iwi, Ngā Iwi, Māori AWMM
- Ngāti Maru (Tainui), Ngā Iwi o Tainui, Tainui, Waka o Ngā Iwi, Ngā Iwi, Māori AWMM
- Ngāti Awa, Māori AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 9 Jan 1892 Public Source
- Date of birth
- 9 January 1892Public - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 16 April 2015 - Family
- Place of birth
- Parawai, ThamesPublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 16 April 2015 - Family
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- Unknown AWMM Parawai, Thames, New Zealand AWMM
- Heale Street, Parawai, Thames, New ZealandPublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 13 April 2015 - Family papers
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mrs D. Stewart (mother), Parawai, Thames, New Zealand AWMM
- Also know as Emere Apanui-Mair she was the daughter of William Mair and Raiha Apanui. William was the brother of Gilbert Mair. Raiha's father was Apanui te Hamaiwaho the Paramount Cheif of Ngati Awa.Public - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 18 April 2015 - family
- Emere Stewart (nee Apanui-Mair)Public - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 13 April 2015 - Family papers
- Relationship status
- Pre 16 Oct 1914 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- Suez Canal AWMM
- 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
- Chunuk Bair AWMM
- Hill 60 AWMM
- Galipolli & FrancePublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 16 April 2015 - military
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 12/451 AWMM
- Military service
- 6th Hauraki CompanyPublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 16 April 2015 - military
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
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Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- 6th Hauraki CompanyPublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 13 April 2015 - Military Personnel Files
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 Unknown AWMM
- 11th August 1914Public - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 13 April 2015 - Military Personnel Files
- Age on enlistment
- Born: 9th Jan 1892 - 21yrsPublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 13 April 2015 - Military Personnel Files
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 16 Oct 1914-03 Dec 1914 AWMM
HMNZT 8 or HMNZT 12 AWMM Vessel was Waimana AWMM Private AWMM Auckland Infantry Battalion AWMM New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- May 1916 AWMM Wounds Diseases Etc., WWI AWMM
Wounded in action in Arementieres AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 14 Apr 1919 AWMM Sergeant AWMM
- SergeantPublic - Derek Francis - Other Relative - 16 April 2015 - military
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Eldest son of son of Emere (Emily) Apanui (née Mair) and David Heta Reweti Stewart of Heale St, Thames, Coromandel. His mother, Emere Apanui, was the daughter of Captain Gilbert Mair and Raiha Apanui of Ngāti Awa.
He was one of ten children. His siblings were Alice Josephine Turuhira Stewart (1891–1950), John Francis Stewart (1894-1968), Willoughby Stewart (1897–1938), Edward McDonnell Wepiha Stewart (1898–1967), Doris Jeanette Stewart (1899–1917), Reginald Robertson Stewart (1902–1950), Leopold Norman Stewart (1902–1977), Mary Kate "Molly" Stewart (1905–1965), and David Apanui (Pareiha) Stewart (d. 1915).
Went to Parawai Primary School, Thames. As the oldest son he took on a lot of responsibility after his father died in 1909.
Matthew Rapana Stewart (12/451) and his two brothers, David Apanui Stewart (16/123) (also known as Pareiha Tuati) and John Francis Stewart (1376), all served in World War I.
Matthew Stewart was the first to enlist, joining the 6th Hauraki Company on 11 August 1914. He trained at Epsom Camp, Auckland, and embarked for Egypt on 16 October 1914 aboard the Waimana. He fought in the Suez Canal Campaign against the Ottoman Turks in February 1915 and took part in the Gallipoli landings on 25 April 1915.
His younger brother, David (Pareiha Tuati) Stewart, enlisted in October 1914 under the name Pareiha Tuati (16/123) and joined the 1st New Zealand Māori Contingent. He trained at Avondale Camp and embarked for Egypt in February 1915 aboard the Warrimoo. He later deployed to Gallipoli, where he served alongside the Māori Contingent. On 16 August 1915, he was wounded in action and died while being evacuated to Lemnos Island. He is buried at Portianos Military Cemetery, Greece. At the time of his death, Matthew was stationed just a mile away at Gallipoli.
Following David’s death, John Francis Stewart sought to enlist, but his mother refused to sign his papers. Determined to serve, he left New Zealand for England in August 1915 aboard the Tainui. He officially enlisted in December 1915, joining King Edward’s Horse and serving with the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front. He was later promoted to Lance Corporal and returned to New Zealand in 1919.
Matthew Stewart continued serving on the Western Front in France, where he was wounded three times. He was promoted to Sergeant before being discharged in 1919.
Was enlisted for the duration of the war, and served at Gallipoli, and in Egypt and Western Europe. During the war he kept a diary of his service.
MEN WHO HAVE FALLEN.
LANCE-CORPORAL STEWART. Lance-Corporal Matthew Stewart recently reported as wounded, is the eldest eon of Mrs. H. D. Stewart, of Parawai, 1 names. Being; one of the first to enlist he left New Zealand with the main body (6th Haurakis), and went through the campaign against the Turks, afterwards going to Prance with the Anzacs. He was a pupil of the Thames High School, and a prominent athlete on the football field. Another brother, Jack Stewart, is at present in camp at Curragh, in Ireland, and David Stewart, the third son of the family, died of wounds received at Gallipoli. New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16246, 3 June 1916, Page 8
While serving in England he met Celine Mary Booth, who he married at St Patrick's Cathedral in Auckland, New Zealand on 6 Jul 1920. They had a daughter, Tarei (also known as Peg) in 1921.
Family information partially provided by niece in October 2023. AWMM
About death
- Death
- 8 Dec 1975 AWMM
Age 83 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- —
- Death notes
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- Cemetery
- Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames, Coromandel AWMM Returned Services Area, Plot 329 AWMM
- 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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Related objects
Related Serviceperson
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R7821684
Further Reference - New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16246, 3 June 1916, Page 8
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19160603.2.59
Further Reference - Father's Wikipedia page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heta_Stewart
Further Reference - Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20201108000000/https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-CowMaor.html
Further Reference
- Military personnel file
- References
- Information kindly provided by family
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Page No: 695 - Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
Vol. 2: Includes portrait - Lawson-Nuri, M. (2000). Heta Reweti and Emere Apanui Stewart : whanau reunion January 2000. [Whakatane, N.Z.] : [Whanau Reunion Committee].
- Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- Soutar, M. (2019). Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!: Maori In the First World War. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd.
- Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
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