A MAORI HERO.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11948, 6 March 1917, Page 3

A MAORI HERO.

MONT>UKT> V'OI! FTOIiT ON GALIIPOI.I. Tan IViruihi. a young Mangitikei Maori, was personally decorated with the Distinguished Service: Medal at. Marion a few days ago by Colonel Sir James Ailon. Minister of Defence. The honour was for conspicuous bravery at A'haae. on August b\ JOlo, during an attiick on No. 8 post. The rironni'-t'tnco* surrounding the iiieideiil wo.ro that Tan was cot off from his comrade-;, and v.-as encircled by five Turks, who made a desperate effortto get" their man. The Now Zealandci, however, was not to bo caught. With celerity and orcoefcivonoss ho drove ids bayonet through ono of the enemy, but was unable to extricate it, iha Turk having en.rjght if, in bi.s grasp and bold it in tho hope of stubbing i lieMaori with n kniii-. The other four Turks then tried to got the New Zoalander alive, but with a hoary blow hs landed ono a terrific smash on tho ■jaw, £i-iid bowled him over. Another received a. kirk in the -stomach, and before the fourth and iifth could disable him lto was successful in jotting the riJlo of an enemy who had fallen. Willi export, handling; ho placed anntber Turk out" of action for all time by a crack on the skull with the butt of the *jf]o. In the end bo had accounted for four, nnd with ono remaining lie had n real pugilistic e*ioounrer. The Turk got so much the worst of if thai eventually he was glad to surrender, and Tan had the extreme •satisfaction of bringing' him as a prisoner into the British li.>,K!>. The Maori boy's bravery and achievement. M-erb observed, and m a result King (.ieorgo recognised the courageous act by bestowing upon him the THr-tin-guisiifxl Service Medal. During the presentation Sir James Allen paid a great compliment to tluv work of the and said that, notln'ng (letter hod ever been done in the iastory of New Zealand than that' performed by lb* Maoris avlio had left fche; ; o shores tor the battle front-. Their conmt'e and devotion io duty had been swob that the Pake!) a held out his hand to bis Maori brother and Kaid thai- if Anything had separated him in tho past it had gone for ever. and the Maori was noxv ono with tho whiile race in. helping to make New Zealand (the finest country on the face of tlie globe.