November 11, 2021
Armistice marked in Aotearoa and Pacific
It’s Armistice Day when countries which took part in World War 1 remember when the guns fell silent at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.
Ngāti Porou stalwart and Rarotonga resident Derek Fox says it’s a conflict that affected not only many Māori families – but those from the Pacific.
By the end of the war, 2227 Māori and 458 Pacific Islanders had served in what became known as the Māori (Pioneer) Battalion.
Of these, 336 died on active service and 734 were wounded. Other Māori enlisted (and died) in other units.
Mr Fox says the transition from the South Seas to the battlegrounds of France and the Middle East was tough for the Pacific troops.
“Some of our people in New Zealand were relatively raw and hadn’t long come away from when there had been battles between Māori troops and colonial troops. Well these guys had it even worse and when they went off to train in Auckland they hadn’t worn boots before, so they were suffering from that. they were used to living on fresh fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, and they ended up on bully beef and that was tough on them, that really affected them,” he says.
Because of Covid restrictions, this morning’s Armistice Day ceremony at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington is not open to the public.