December 03, 2012
Sadness at the end of 28th Māori Battalion Association.
A dozen of the 25 surviving veterans of the 28th Māori Battalion gathered in Wellington at the weekend to wind up their association.
They placed wreaths at the National War memorial to comrades who fell in North Africa, Greece, Crete and Italy during World War 2, and held a farewell luncheon at Pipitea Marae,
Te Tai Hauauru MP Tariana Turia says there was a sense of sadness about the occasion, particularly because of a sense in Te ao Māori that their deeds need to continue to be honoured.
She says questions are still being raised about the need to wind up the roopu.
"There are a lot of younger people who support the battalion, assist them at those annual events, and their families of course continue to meet and honour them, so i think it's very sad. A lot of people from home have been very unhappy about it," Mrs Turia says.
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