HAURAKIS HAVE PROUD HISTORY TO RECORD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 87, 18 January 1950, Page 5

HAURAKIS HAVE PROUD HISTORY TO RECORD

To many hundreds of ex-soldiers of the Thames Valley and Bay of Plenty districts the reintroduction of compulsory military training will mean a revival\ of interest in the Hauraki Regiment in which three generations of then)' have already served their country in battle. The I’egiment which is now in prqcess of being re-formed, with a unit based at Whakatane, came into being just over fifty years ago with the amalgamation of a number of volunteer units as the 2nd Battalion Auckland Rifle Volunteers, afterwards the 2nd Battalion' Auckland (Hauraki) Regiment. When compulsory military training was first introduced into New Zealand forty years ago, various volunteer units were merged with the ‘Territorial Force, those in the Thames Valley, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua districts forming part of the 6th Hauraki Regiment i (as it had become meanwhile). Fighting Traditions

With their fighting traditions already well established in the South African War, the Haurakis played a distinguished part in the war of 1914-18. The 6th .Hauraki Company of the Ist N.Z.E.F.' took part in the landing at Gallipoli, 'and shared in the subsequent fighting against the Turks. Haurakis fought, through the mud of the Somme in 1916 and again in 1918. Meanwhile they had been in the thick of the fighti**g at Messines? Ypres, Polygon Wood, Passchendaele and later at Cambrai and Le Quesnoy—to mention only a few of the twenty-seven battles in which they played a gallant part. By 1939 a new generation of Haurakis had voluntarily prepared themselves for their country’s defence. As members of the 18th, 21st and 24th Battalions of the 2nd N.Z.E.F., they” fought in Greece, Crete, Libya, Cyrenaica, Tunisia and Italy. They were in action at El Alamein, and the whole series of successful battles which ended in the capitulation of Rommel’s forces in Africa. Later they were in the thick of the fighting on the. Sangro River and at Cassino, and played their part in every battle of the Italian campaign until the final episode of Trieste. \ Distinguished C.O.’s

With such a rich background to draw upon, it has been decided to compile a comprehensive history of the regiment. Already a certain amount of researchyhas been done, and some very interesting) facts haVe come to light.’ The Regiment’s first commanding officer was Major i( afterward Lieut-Colonel) Nepean Kenny of Paeroa (formerly of the Black Watch and 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers). Other distinguished commanders have included Colonel Sir Stephen Allen, C.M.G., D. 5.0., and Bar, of Morrinsville, and his brother, the late Lieut-Colonel Robert Allen, D.S.O. and Bar, LieutColonel F. Prideaux and LieutColonel C. A. Le Lievre, both of Whakatane.

Information Wanted The present commanding officer, Lieut-Colonel E. W. Aked, M.C., commanded “A” Company of the 24th Battalion for twenty-one months through the fighting in North Africa and Italy. Shortly after Cassino he was promoted to command the battalion. Later seconded to the 2nd Greek Mountain Brigade, he fought with them through the remainder of the Italian campaign and right through the civil war in Greece. For these services he was clecordted by the Greek Government with the Order of Valour. Former members of The regiment who may have any personal letters, .diaries or other records, > photographs etc., concerning the Regiment’s achievements in peace and war, which might be considered suitable, or those of the earlier Volunteer units as a source of material for inclusion in such a history are being invited to make them available.