COMMANDER KILLED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 80, 20 July 1942, Page 5

COMMANDER KILLED

MAORI BATTALION'S LOSS LIEUT.-COL. E. T. W. LOVE The large number of local Maoris Avho have relates in the fighting Maori Battalion in Egypt will join in expressing the greatest soitoav at the death of Lieut-Col. E. T. W. the Battalion's revered commander. Colonel Love Avas asociated Avith the Maori Battalion from its earliest inception. Of very high native rank lie had been an officer of the New Zealand Military Forces for a number of years, and at the outbreak of Avar held the rank of captain in the Ist Battalion, Wellington Regiment. Shortly aftenvards he was appointed to Army Headquarters staff for duly in connection Avith the formation of the Maori Battalion. He Avcnt overseas Avitli the main body of the battalion and fought in Greece, Avhere lie Avas at one period reported missing. He Avas later promoted to the rank of maojr and fought in the Ghpistmas-Libyan campaign. When the former officer commanding the battalion, LieutenantColonel (now Brigadier) Dittmer, returned to Ncav Zealand, Colonel Love assumed command. Colonel Love's wife, Mrs Takau Rio Love, is paramount Chieftainess, or Makea Nui Ariki, of Raratonga, popularly knoAvn as the Queen of Raratonga. His parents are Mr and Mrs Hapi Love, of Petone.