GREAT WAR VETERAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19884, 10 March 1939, Page 4

GREAT WAR VETERAN

MR. H. N. PETIHA DEAD PIONEER BATTALION N.C.O. FUNERAL IN TIKITIKI The death occurred yesterday morning of a well-known member of the Ngatiporou tribe, Mr. H. Ngahiwi Petiha, a popular resident of Tikitiki and formerly a non-commissioned officer of the Maori Pioneer Battalion. He had been ailing f.or some time, and his death was not unexpected. The funeral will be held in Tikitiki, where many members of the Ngatiporou tribe and its affiliations are gathering to pay their respects to his memory.

Well educated and in many ways an outstanding member of the younger group of tribesmen, the late Mr. Petiha volunteered for service abroad early in 1915, and was selected for a course of training for non-commissioned rank.

He accompanied the Second Maori Contingent when it sailed for Egypt in September, ISIS, and held the rank of sergeant in the battalion. He suffered his first wound while serving in the trenches in the Armentieres sector, and while convalescing in England, he had the experience of representing his race in the Lord Mayor’s procession in London, having charge of a party jf Maoris from the Codford depot.

A little later he rejoined his unit in France, and took part in the garrisoning of the Armentieres sector, where the New Zealand Division had returned after fighting in the first Somme Battle. (He .was with 'his unit through the Battle of Messines, and on June 18, 11 days after the commencement of that push, was again wounded, .suffering severe injuries from shell-fire. Evacuated to England again, he spent some months at Walton-on-Thames Hospital, and then was declared unfit for further active service. Subsequently he was returned to New Zealand, still much the worse for his active service experiences.

A happy nature and a strong sense of responsibility were outstanding among his characteristics, and .he was regarded as a man -who would have taken a leading part in tribal affairs 'but for his physical incapacitation. He was well known to many people in Gisborne, especially those who saw service abroad, and will be much missed. He is survived by Mrs. Petiha and an adopted child. He has also one elder brother surviving.