GISBORNE CAPTAIN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20907, 6 October 1942, Page 2

GISBORNE CAPTAIN

MILITARY CROSS AWARD Captain K. A. (Reta) Keiha, who has been awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in, the Alamein battle in Egypt, is a veteran of three campaigns. He left New Zealand with the original Maori Battalion, which was attached to the Second Echelon, riand 1 went through the fighting- in Greece and Crete. He wasconvalescing l-follow-ing an illness' when'the 'New Zealanders -went into their first desert encounter nearly a year ago, rejoining his unit just as the New Zealanders were being withdrawn from Libya and remaining with it through the recent battles in Egypt. When the 1 late Lieut.-Colonel Love, then Commanding th'e'Mao'fr Battalion, was wounded; Captain Keiha was chosen to take cornmand of the battalion for a few •'days'’until the second in command came up from the base. Captain'Keiha Was one of the best known' of the Maori race in Gisborne, and he was a prominent player on the Ppverty Bay Golf Club’s links and competed on one occasion in the New Zealand open tournament. His wife takes a prominent part in patriotic work in Gisborne. Before he left Gisborne, Captain Keiha was on the staff of Messrs Nolan and Skeet.