Hiwa Williams
Born 20 Apr 1896 - Died 3 Apr 1982
- Service number
- WWI 20720 AWMM
- Also known as
- Ohiwa WIREMUPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - NZ Archive Records
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- NZ Maori Pioneer Battalion, 17th ReinforcementsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Last rank
- —
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Hiwa AWMM
- Surname
- Williams AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- Ohiwa WIREMUPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - NZ Archive Records
- Service number
- WWI 20720 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Religion
- Church of EnglandPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 20 Apr 1896 Public Source
- Date of birth
- 20 Apr 1896 (death/birthdate 26 Oct 1895)Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Place of birth
- Nuhaka, H.B., NZPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Birth notes
- Ohiwa is the son of Tuhorouta and Marara Putaranui (1832-1895), not "Tu"Public - Teena - Direct descendant - 7 April 2025 - Military papers state Ohiwa father is Tuhorouta (also in 28th Maori Battalion)
- son of Tu WilliamsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Ohiwa is the son of Tuhorouta and Marara Putaranui (1832-1895), not "Tu"
- Address before enlistment
- NuhakaPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Tu Williams (father), Manutuke, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM
- Tuhorouta did not work at the Freezing Works Gisborne, it was opened in 1906. Ohiwa may have but we are not sure if he did. He always worked the land on Roberts Road Manutuke, now called Tuaraki RoadPublic - Teena - Direct descendant - 7 April 2025 - Family whakapapa
- later: c/- Farmers Frozen Meat Co., GisbornePublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Relationship status
- Ohiwa was single. He met Waiotahi Rikirangi. She lived with her parents and grand father Te Kooti at Kutarere until she met and married Ohiwa. Her Iwi is Tainui and Rongowhakaata.Public - Teena - Direct descendant - 7 April 2025 - Whakapapa and death certificate
- singlePublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Ohiwa was single. He met Waiotahi Rikirangi. She lived with her parents and grand father Te Kooti at Kutarere until she met and married Ohiwa. Her Iwi is Tainui and Rongowhakaata.
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- NZ Maori Pioneer Battalion, 17th ReinforcementsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Service number
- WWI 20720 AWMM
- Military service
- 1916-1919Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- British War MedalPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 Unknown AWMM Farmer/Civilian AWMM
- 17 June 1916 at Narrow NeckPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Age on enlistment
- 20yrsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 23 Sep 1916-19 Nov 1916 AWMM
HMNZT 65 AWMM Vessel was Pakeha AWMM Private AWMM 8th Reinforcements AWMM Maori Contingent AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Jan 1917 Pleurisy; Apr 1918 Influenza; Aug 1918 Leg Injury; Sept 1918 DiseasePublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
Last known rank
- Last rank
- PrivatePublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Military Record
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Ohiwa Williams and Waiotahi Rikirangi-Williams had two children, Prince Rikirangi Williams (1924-1984), and Jane Heni Komiti Waihi. Ohiwa and Waiotahi later adopted (whangai) Maraea (Granny Green) and Lesley Williams. Our family never got to meet Lesley. We know he has since moved to live in Auckland.Public - Teena - Direct descendant - 7 April 2025 - Ohiwa Williams enlisted in the Maori Pioneers. Upon joining the Army, he initially registered under the name Ohiwa Tuhorouta, adopting his father's surname. However, due to the recruitment officers' difficulties in pronouncing his father's name accurately, he opted to use Williams as his surname.
During his deployment in the United Kingdom, Ohiwa was admitted to a hospital and subsequently received a medical discharge. Following his return home, he met his wife, Waiotahi Rikirangi, from Waikato - Les Williams, son of Mr Hiwa Williams, Manutuke, and the late Mrs Williams. Les plays rugby for Dunedin's Zingari-Riehmond team and is the first player this season to score 100 points — which is really nothing new as, since 1960, he has scored the "ton" in all but one or two seasons. Les graduated from the University of Otago's School of Physical Education, in 1961. He played for Merrivale, while at Christchurch Teachers' College, and Ponsonby, while in Auckland. After three seasons at the University of California, Berkley, he returned to teach fn Dunedin, last yearPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Gisborne Photo News - No 218 : August 9, 1972
- Ohiwa Williams and Waiotahi Rikirangi-Williams had two children, Prince Rikirangi Williams (1924-1984), and Jane Heni Komiti Waihi. Ohiwa and Waiotahi later adopted (whangai) Maraea (Granny Green) and Lesley Williams. Our family never got to meet Lesley. We know he has since moved to live in Auckland.
About death
- Death
- 3 Apr 1982 Public Source
- Date of death
- 3 April 1982Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Gisborne Cemetery Records
- Age at death
- 86yrsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Gisborne Cemetery Records
- Place of death
- Gisborne, NZPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Gisborne Cemetery Records
- Cause of death
- —
- Death notes
- 1st NZEF, 20720 Pte O (Ohiwa aka Hiwa) WILLIAMS, Maori Pioneer Battn, died 3 April 1982 aged 86 yearsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Gisborne Cemetery Records
- Cemetery
- —
- Cemetery name
- Taruheru Cemetery, GisbornePublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Gisborne Cemetery Records
- Grave reference
- Block RSA34; Plot 109; Warrant # 28566Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 24 April 2016 - Gisborne Cemetery Records
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R22019797
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
- Pugsley, C. (1995). Te Hokowhitu a Tu : the Maori Pioneer Battalion in the first World War. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1917). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
41: 40 - Soutar, M. (2019). Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!: Maori In the First World War. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd.
- Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- HMNZT 65 - Pakeha : the journal of the Seventeenth Reinforcements H.M.N.Z. Transport 65 (S.S."Pakeha"). Pilling, E.G. (Ewen George), editor. McGhie, J.G. (John Gordon), editor. Bell, R.B. (Robert Brown), editor. -- At sea : Officers and men, 17th Reinforcements : 1916.
The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.
Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.