Former Defense Minister Peeni Henare pays tribute to Tā Robert ‘Bom’ Nairn Gillies, who passed away yesterday.

Tā Bom was 99 and the last surviving member of the 28th Māori Battalion, which served as frontline infantry for the 2nd New Zealand Division during World War II.

Henare, who was minister when Gillies was appointed his knighthood, says Bom was a humble man with a quick wit and the ability to sum up complex situations in simple terms.

He says Tā Bom’s link to the Māori Battalion strikes an emotional chord as he recalls a conversation they had once at the dinner table.

“Peeni, your grandfather was our final commander of the Māori Battalion, and we all thought he was the greatest man walking this Earth. And it’s those kinds of words that make me remember just how special a person Bom was, but also just how special those men who sacrificed their lives for us today,” says Henare.

Tomorrow, Arikinui Kuini Ngawai hono i te po and the Kiingitanga movement will head to Rotorua to pay their respect with the nehu planned for Tuesday