Maori Battalion

  Hello my readers welcome back to my blog we have been learning about Maori Battalion I have completed a answer sheet and I will show you all the info in it there were 3 questions. This as been a fun activity.

Hur 1: HEROES 28 (Maori) Battalion

Reference:  Gardiner, W. (2019) Ake Ake Kia Kaha E! Forever Brave! B Company 28 (Maori) Battalion 1939-1945. Bateman Books.

1. Read the following two quotations with the teacher, discuss the meanings, and then answer the question.

..”Walter (Waata) Heretini, ‘was as blind as a bat. He couldn’t hit a barn if it was 50 metres away from him’. Like a number of others who joined the battalion, Heretini persuaded a mate to do the medical for him so he could ‘get away’.” (pp. 60-61).

“Lieutenant-Colonel Leckie ordered (Captain) Love to send a company to Musaid to strengthen the position… Love assigned the task to B Company, allocating Bren carriers to provide mobile reconnaissance. B Company was armed to the teeth, having ‘raided the enemy arms depot to some purpose. The return showed six spandaus, three anti-tank rifles, one 2-inch mortar, six tommy guns, and fifty stick grenades from this source’.” (pp. 165-166)..

Question 1.  Why were the soldiers of 28 (Maori) Battalion heroes?

The Maori Battalion is brave by taking enemy weapons and using it for the upper hand even though they didn't know how to use them. Some faked medicals

2. Read the following account of the actions of stretcher-bearers (medics) with the teacher, discuss the meanings. And then answer the question::

“Two B Company stretcher bearers won immediate Military Medals for their bravery in this action. Corporal John Tupene ‘worked unceasingly throughout the night scouring the battlefield administering to and personally evacuating friend and foe alike… In one instance under heavy enemy fire he dressed and splinted the limb of a soldier of another unit and carried him out to safety’. Temporary Corporal James Pirihi worked cheerfully and untiringly treating, evacuating and burying casualties until none remained on the field.’ A week later, Pirihi ‘again showed great devotion to duty administering to friends and foe alike. In one instance in the face of enemy MG fire he dressed the wounds of a German soldier and finally carried him out to safety personally.” (p. 210).

Question 2  Why were the stretcher bearers heroes?

The stretcher bearers not only had the problem of dragging their feet out of the mud after every step, they also had to make sure not to rock the stretcher as this would increase the pain of the wounded man. The pain of shattered bone ends grating together was so intense that the wounded man was likely to die of shock.

3. Read this account from a hard-working officer, and his concern for the soldiers with the teacher, discuss the meanings, and answer the question:

“B Company, commanded by Major Bennett, started 15 minutes after the forward companies….. With his company having lost contact with the others, Bennett dug in and awaited developments. The prospect of a German counter-attack was uppermost in his mind. ‘I was fearful for the forward troops’ welfare… We were like a little finger poked out into the enemy positions and likely to be nipped off with ease. I was not apprehensive of enemy troops but I was of his tanks. Without anti-tank defences I knew I was absolutely at the mercy of tanks should they have attacked.’ Going back to Battalion Headquarters, he found that Baker had been wounded and the temporary commanding officer, Major Hart, mortally wounded. Bennet assumed command of the battalion, a position in which he would soon be confirmed.” (pp. 212-213).

Question 3:  Why were hard working soldiers’ leaders heroes?

They had to plan attacks carefully and had to be smart and brave. They tried their best to make their men see their families.