Maori in WW2 + The 28th Battalion
- 1939 to 1946 -
The 28th (Māori) Battalion, formed in 1939, was a unit of the New Zealand Army made up of Māori volunteers that fought in World War II. They saw action in Greece, Crete, North Africa, and Italy, and earned a reputation for courage and fighting prowess. The battalion suffered the highest casualty rate of any New Zealand battalion in the war, with over 600 men killed. The legacy of the 28th (Māori) Battalion is one of courage, sacrifice, and service.
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Did you know?
n April 1943, a small group of Māori soldiers, led by Lance Sergeant Haane Manahi of Te Arawa, ascended a 300-meter rocky slope. Despite intense mortar and machine-gun fire, they successfully overtook a fortified position defended by over 300 Italian and German forces. This action was lauded by Lieutenant General Sir Brian Horrocks, who stated it was ‘the most gallant feat of arms I witnessed in the course of the war’.
n April 1943, a small group of Māori soldiers, led by Lance Sergeant Haane Manahi of Te Arawa, ascended a 300-meter rocky slope. Despite intense mortar and machine-gun fire, they successfully overtook a fortified position defended by over 300 Italian and German forces. This action was lauded by Lieutenant General Sir Brian Horrocks, who stated it was ‘the most gallant feat of arms I witnessed in the course of the war’.