TRIBUTE TO MAORIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24912, 11 May 1942, Page 8

TRIBUTE TO MAORIS

BY ENGLISH AIRCRAFTMAN "EQUAL TO ANY TWO MEN" (0.C.) LONDON, Mar. 17. An interesting tribute was paid to the Maoris in the Middle East by an English aircraftman who won the Military Medal in Greece. He is a nephew of Mr H. E. Dupe, of the New Zealand House book section, and in a letter to his brother he wrote from Libya:— " Have you met any New Zealanders? If you have, I want you to ' lash out' generously, especially if thev happen to the Maoris. One of the Maori's chief characteristics is his silent suffering from wounds. A Maori pal of mine had his elbow shot away in a recent successful bayonet charge. He travelled with me for several weary and uncomfortable days, < and I could not but help observing the terrific pain which showed in his face, and yet he never once groaned. " Combined with his amazingly fearless fighting qualities, which make him equal to any two fighting men of any vacs, the Maori is one of the most generous'and most good-natured men in the world. He is always laughing and joking, and with his intelligence—which is very high—and his civilisation he still carries his pagan war cry to battle. " How do Maoris cross the wire out here? Why. the first two throw themselves face downwards on it while the rest clamber over them. The Maoris in battle are a sight to last a lifetime. Six fe2t and over, broad as a bull, they are like young gods. Once I was rearguard to a Maori bayonet charge in Crete, and the yell they gave out as they went over, bayonets gleaming and dripping with blood, made me feel queer. " It caused the enemy to drop everything and run for two miles, losing several men who had tripped over vines, etc., and the Maoris lost about three. The Maori is tough, but he doesn't throw it around."