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Cenotaph record

Whetuki Kopua

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Nominal Roll Vol 1, Page: 400 - No known copyright restrictions

Nominal Roll Vol 1, Page: 400 - No known copyright restrictions

Identity

About

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  • Title
    Private Public - 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
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
    Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM
  • Religion
    Church of England Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    1893 Public Source
  • Date of birth
    • 1893 Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
    • By Death aged - birth year = 1896 Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Research
  • Place of birth
    Tokomaru Bay Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
  • Birth notes
    son of the Late Rata & Kirirua KOPUA of Tokomaru Bay Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record & Research
  • Address before enlistment
    Unknown AWMM Kahukura, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Nihe Kopua (brother), Tokomaru Bay, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 18 September 1915 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
    Egyptian, Egyptian E F & Western European Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
  • Armed force / branch
    • Army AWMM
    • 2nd NZ Maori Pioneer Contingent Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
  • Service number
    WWI 16/643 AWMM
  • Military service
    1915-1917 Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
    Narrow Neck Camp Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Research
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    • WW1 Unknown AWMM AWMM
    • 12 June 1915 at Kahukura Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military Record
  • Occupation before enlistment
    Labourer Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Military record
  • Age on enlistment
    22yrs Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 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
    Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Whetuki Kopua was the son of the late Rata and Kirirua Kopua. Native of Tokomaru Bay, Gisborne, New Zealand. AWMM
    • 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 Kingi Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 20 July 2015 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14452, 12 November 1917, Page 7
    • 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
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    4 August 1917 AWMM
    Age 21 AWMM
    Ypres, Belgium AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
    Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Belgium Public - 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 Memorial Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 11 January 2016 - Research
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • 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

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Sources

Sources

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Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
28 January 2023Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
11 January 2016Lorraine MGisborne, NZResearcher

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