TAMATI TE PATU RECEIVES ARMY MEDAL

Te Ao Hou, June 1961, Page 27

TAMATI TE PATU RECEIVES ARMY MEDAL Recently retired from the Regular Army, Mr Tamati Te Patu, M.M., of Main Road, Trentham, was among several men presented with the Army's long service and good conduct medal recently. The medal commemorates 18 years' service “with an irreproachable character” and is awarded to Regular Army non-commissioned officers. Mr Te Patu, who joined the Maori Battalion during the First World War, was awarded the Military Medal for bravery and courage in action at Messi les Ridge. After volunteering for service again with the Maori Battalion in 1940, he served with the Guards of Vital Points within New Zealand and at the Prisoner of War Camp, Featherston. He was then posted to the Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at the Central District Motor Transport Workshops, Trentham, where he served until his retirement a few months ago. With Mr Te Patu is Lt. Col. S. B. Wallace who presented the long service medals on his last day in the regular Army. ARMY INFORMATION PHOTO