MAORI HERO’S V.C.

Grey River Argus, 5 June 1943, Page 4

MAORI HERO’S V.C.

WON ON MARETH LINE Posthumous Award to Poverty Bay Lieutenant [Per Press Association] GISBORNE,, June 4. The King has approved of the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross to Second Lieutenant Moana-Nui-A-Kaiwa Ngarimu, of the New Zealand Military Forces. Mr. Fraser, Prime Minister, to-day telegraphed his father, Hamuera Ngarimu, of Ruatoria, congratulating him on the great honour conferred on his son and expressing deep regret that he did not live to receive the award. The parents of Lieutenant Ngarimu are probably not yet aware that their son had the distinction of. being the first member of the Maori race to win the Victoria Cross. The Ngarimu family owns a large station in the Ruatoria district. This morning Mr. and Mrs. Ngarimu senior, came tu Gisborne bui> all efforts to trace thorn have so far failed, and it is assumed that they are) on their way back home, where the Prime Minister's telegram awaits them. Lieutenant Ngarimu was born near Ruatoria twenty-four years ago. He enlisted as a Private shortly after the outbreak of war, and sailed with the First Maori Contingent. He was promoted through non-commissioned rank and was commissioned in the field. A brother, Corporal Henry Ngarimu, has also served overseas, but was recently invalided home. A cousin is Captain H. T. Reedy, who is a prisoner of war. Prior to enlisting Lieutenant Ngarimu was farming on his father’s property. He was an enthusiastic footballer, haying played regularly for the Ruatoria team, and had also earned East Coast representative honours. WELLINGTON, Jun e 4.

A brief description of the fighting on March 25 and 26 in the period which Lieut. Ngarimu won the V.C., has been supplied by Army Headquarters. At this time the Eighth Army was confronting the German positions on the Mareth Line, an;’ was extending flanking elements to the left to feel for a passage round the general position. On March 25 our forward troops occupied positions about four miles east of the village of Mareth, and an Indian Division progressed towards Medenine. The advance of this position was continued on March 26. and forward units reached to another ten miles west of Toujane. On the afternoon of March 26 an attack was launched by the Second New Zealand Division, supported bv tanks, in the south-west of El Hamma. This attack succeeded in creating a gap through which, on the following night, additional armoured forces were passed. The following morning our troops reached El Hamma. Mopping up operations against enemy positions continued in hills to the south-west. This threat to the German flank and rear, fpreed the enemy to abandon the Mareth Line. By March 28, German forces! were in full retreat, our armoured forces had occupied El Hamma, and the Second New Zealand Division was pushing towards Gabes. The official citation says: During the action at Tebaga Gao on March 26, Second Lieutenant Ngarimu commanded a platoon in an attack upon a vital hill, feature Point 209. He was given the task of attacking and canturing an under-feature forward of Point 209 itself held in considerable strength by the enemy. He led his men with great determination straight up the face of the hill, undeterred by intense mortar and machine-gun fire, which caused considerable casualties. Displaying courage and leadership of the highest order he was himself first on the hill crest, personally annihilating at least two enemy machine-gun posts. In the face of such a determined attack the remainder of the enemy fled, but further advance was impossible as the reverse slope was swept by machine-gun fire from Point 209 itself. Under cover of a most intense mortar barrage the enemy counter-attacked. Ngarimu ordered his men to stand up and engage the' enemy, man for man. This they did with good effect that, the attackers were literally mowed down, Ngarimu personally killing seven. He was twice wounded, once by rifle fire in a shoulder, later by shrapnel in a leg, and though urged bv both his commanding officer and battalion commanders, to go out. refused to do so. saying that he would stay a little while with, his men. He stayed till he met his death on the following morning. Darkness found this officer and his depleted platoon lying) on a rocky face of a forward slope of the hill feature with the enemy in a simular position on the reverse slope, about 20 yards distant. Throughout the night the enemy repeatedly launched fierce attacks in an attempt to dislodge Ngarimu and liis men, but each counter-attack, was beaten off entirely by Ngarimu’s inspired leadership. During one of these counterattacks the enemy, bv using hand grenades, succeeded in piercing a certain part of the line. Without hesitation this officer rushed to the threatened area and those of the enemy he did not kill- he drove back with stones, and with his Tommygun. During another determined counter-attack bv the enemy, part of his line broke. Yelling orders of encouragement he rallied his men and led them in a tierce onslaught back into their old positions. All through the night, between the attacks, he and his men were heavily harassed by machine-gun and mortar tire, but Ngarimu watched his line very carefully, cheering his men on and in spiring them by his gallant personal conduct.

Morning found him still in possession of the hill feature, but only he and two unwounded other ranks remained. Reinforcements were sent up to him..ln the morning the enemy again counter-attacked and it was during this attack that Ngarimu was killed. He was killed on his feet, defiantly facing the enemy with his Tommy-gun at 'his hip. As he fell he came to rest almost on top of those of the enemy who had fallen to his gun, a number of whom have testified to his outstanding courage and fortitude.