PRO PATRIA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 40, 14 January 1944, Page 5

PRO PATRIA

LIEUT. J. H. PILE

In the death of Second Lieut. Jack Hall Pile, of Opoliki i-nd Whakatane, the Maori community In these parts suffered a great loss. Lieut Pile was cue o(f the most promising young men of the native race which the Eastern Bay has yet produced. Born in May, 1914, he was the son of Mr Jack Pile, of Opotiki, and Tangi Hohapata daughter of Makereta Hohapata of Paroa, Whakatane. Leaving the Paroa Native School he won the Education Department's Scholarship and went on to St. Stephen's College for two years* where he won both the Senior Makariri <;nd the Bullen Scholarships. With these honours lie went on to Te Aute College, Hawke's Bay, in 1931. He gained his University Entrance eamination the following year, being also at that time Dux of the College. His keenness to be of service to his race decided his course for him and he returned to AVhakatane being employed in the offices of Mr R. F. Smith and of Mr E. Armstrong both solicitors of 'his town. Latter he worked for the late Mr George Rand and subsequently joined the P.W.D. at Te Whaiti where he was successively a driver and a storeman. In 1937 he decided to take up teaching as a profession and! entered the Auckland Training College), obtaining h-ife 'C' certificate when he 1 was recommended for a special course as a Physical Training Instructor for which he later qualified: It was) in carrying out - this worlc that he became well-known in the Bay. As Scoutmaster of the Paroa Maori troop he cid excellent work. During the present war he was transferred from the Auckland! Regiment to a Maori unit, where he worked up from the ranks to Sergeant ?nd eventually obtained a commission in the 2nd Maori Battalion. He left New Zealand for overseas in charge of the 9th Maori Reinforcement draft last May and took part in the initial fighting in Southern Italy when the Eighth Army made its first great thrust. He died of wounds received in action on December Bth at the age of 29 yearal. Jack Pile will be long remembered for his athletic prowess. As a footballer he had a distinguished career, representing St. Stephen's and Te Aute Colleges and loiter winning acclaim as a dashing half-back for the Auckland Training College first fifteen, which he captained in 1939. He played for the Auckland Colts in 1938 and represented the Auckland Province in 193839. He also represented the N.Z. Maoris against Fiji in 19.39 and captained several leading army teams. He> was also a boxer of no mean ability .fighting in the middle-weight class and participating in many Bay of Plenty tournaments where he won numerous trophies. He also represented Training College. His allround interest in sport included siwimming and running, in both of which he" could' hold his own anywhere. He was a member of the Whakatane Life Saving Club and a prominent member of the St. John Ambulance Asslociation. By his death in action a very promising and brilliant young life has been cut short.