Whetuki Kopua
Born 1893 - Died 4 Aug 1917
- Service number
- WWI 16/643 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- 2nd NZ Maori Pioneer ContingentPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
- Last rank
- WW1 Private AWMM New Zealand Pioneer Battalion AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- PrivatePublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
- Forenames
- Whetuki AWMM
- Surname
- Kopua AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWI 16/643 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Religion
- Church of EnglandPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 1893 Public Source
- Date of birth
- By Death aged - birth year = 1896Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Research
- 1893Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
- By Death aged - birth year = 1896
- Place of birth
- Tokomaru BayPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
- Birth notes
- son of the Late Rata & Kirirua KOPUA of Tokomaru BayPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record & Research
- Address before enlistment
- Unknown AWMM Kahukura, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Nihe Kopua (brother), Tokomaru Bay, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 18 Sep 1915 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- Egyptian, Egyptian E F & Western EuropeanPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- 2nd NZ Maori Pioneer ContingentPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
- Service number
- WWI 16/643 AWMM
- Military service
- 1915-1917Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- 1914-1915 Star
British War & Victory Medals
Plaque & Scroll # 507239Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- Narrow Neck CampPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Research
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 Unknown AWMM
- 12 June 1915 at KahukuraPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military Record
- Age on enlistment
- 22yrsPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military Record
- Occupation before enlistment
- LabourerPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 18 Sep 1915-26 Oct 1915 AWMM
HMNZT 29 AWMM Vessel was Waitemata AWMM Private AWMM 2nd Maori Contingent AWMM New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 Private AWMM
New Zealand Pioneer Battalion AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Whetuki Kopua was the son of the late Rata and Kirirua Kopua. Native of Tokomaru Bay, Gisborne, New Zealand.
Next of Kin: Mr W. Kopua, Hautanoa, Gisborne (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 1)) AWMM - Whetuki's brother was Nehe (or Nihi) Kopua of Tokomaru Bay
Whetuki Kopua’s medals were sent to:
Mr W Kopua (EB) of Hautanoa, Tokomaru Bay
Whetuki Kopua was a Labourer, living at Kahukura (Tikitiki)Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Research - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14452, 12 November 1917, Page 7
IN A TIGHT CORNER.
HOW LIEUT. KAIPARA. AND HIS COMRADES FELL.
Corporal Walter Heany, of the N.Z. Pioneers, writing to his mother, Mrs. Donald Gordon, of Gisborne, gives the first details that have been received respecting the death of Lieut A.P Kaipara and a number of other East Coast members of the Pioneers. The writer explains that the battalion went out wiring a stronghold that the New Zealanders had taken from the Germans. Fritz had made things very warm for them since, Corporal Heany remarks. The Pioneers got to within 100 yards of where they had to erect the entanglements, when Fritz opened up on them. The boys halted for it awhile, and then moved through shell fire to their sector. Shells were thrown all around them, and machine gun fire was turned on, this being about 1.3O a.m. The writer, details the circumstances under which Bill Morris, of Gisborne (wounded), was carried out to, the dressing station. On the way back they were up to their waists in mud, and Fritz concentrated fire on them, thus delaying them a good deal. The shells were bashing in the trenches and ploughing through the mud in the shell fire was a trying experience. Patience, however, got them through safely, though they were all fairly exhausted. Lieut. Kaipara rushed along and requested them 'to go back for Ehau, another Gisbornite who was wounded in the leg. As there was no one else he and his mate went back again with Kaipara. They were fairly beaten, and shells were falling worse than ever. Kaipara kept urging them to hurry, but they were so done up they could hardly for dear life lift their legs out of the boggy ground. Frequently they had to put the stretcher down, and then shells would burst near them, the concussion knocking them over in the mud. Eventually his mate dragged himself back to get fresh men, and he could hear Ehau calling "Come on, Heany" but he was completely knocked up. It was then that Kaipara dropped, shot through the head by a piece of shell. The writer went on to say that he had simply to lie down in the mud with the pathetic words still ringing in his ears and cursing himself for being unable to carry on. Subsequently he managed to drag himself out and to get fresh men to carry the wounded out. Two nights later they went out again to dig a trench and about midnight Fritz poured shells into them again. One shell came into the trench and killed Viv Ruru and another chap who had just joined up, besides wounding Trotter and Maharangi Pohatu. Heany was placed in charge to carry Trotter down to the dressing station, where he learned than Kaa, the Ngati Porou officer was killed, also Winiana and Dick Hale (corporal of the section). The party was carrying out one of the fellows (killed), when a shell landed right in the middle of them. With an officer, the writer went back and found their bodies, which were brought in and laid to rest. All were Gisborne and Coast boys. Donald Cameron was killed the same night as Kaipara. The casualties during the two nights were Killed, Lieutenants P Kaa, Kaipara, Cameron, and MacNeil, Corporal Hale, Privates V. Ruru, Kopua, Winiana.
wounded: -Lieutenant J Ehau, Privates R. Trotter. W. Morris, Manuel, M. Pohatu, and P KingiPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 20 July 2015 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14452, 12 November 1917, Page 7
- Whetuki Kopua was the son of the late Rata and Kirirua Kopua. Native of Tokomaru Bay, Gisborne, New Zealand.
About death
- Death
- 4 Aug 1917 AWMM
Age 21 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- La Basse-Ville (Warneton)Public - Dominique GJM - Researcher - 1 November 2025 - given the date and circumstances Dominique GJM Cooreman, La Basse-Ville 1917: NZ Voices from Flanders Fields, 2016 p 298; p 365
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- —
- Cemetery name
- Messines Ridge British Cemetery, BelgiumPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - http://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/whetuki-kopua
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- Tokomaru Bay War Memorial
Gisborne's War MemorialPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Research - Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial, Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Belgium AWMM
- St Mary's Church Memorial Board, Tikitiki near Rangitukia, East Coast, New Zealand AWMM
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R18058137
Further Reference - New Zealand Electronic Text Collection topic page
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/name-130662.html
Further Reference - 'Tikitiki church war memorial ', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/tikitiki-church-war-memorial, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 29-Oct-2014
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/memorial/tikitiki-church-war-memorial
Further Reference - A Street Near You record
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/1738007/-
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1738007
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 - New Zealand War Graves Trust
https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/
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. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Page No: 400 - Soutar, M. (2019). Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!: Maori In the First World War. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd.
- Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.
- Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
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