BRAVE MAORI LEADER

Levin Daily Chronicle, 19 October 1918, Page 4

BRAVE MAORI LEADER

MAJOR H. E. VERCOE

An interesting incident of the dinner given in London by Sir Thomas Mac- • kenzie to the press delegates from New Zealand was the presentation by the High Commissioner of a.medal sent by the Maoris of Eotorua for Major H. R. Vercoe, D.5.0./M.C. Major Vercoe left New Zealand with the Pioneer Battalion in ✓. the Main Body, and" has serV-ed '' continuously throughout the war. He has' displayed that disregard of his personal safety and reckless bravery which ; distinguishes the best soldiers of both the British and the Maori races. His grandfather, Who died of wounds, received when the British were repulsed at the attack, on Gate Pa, and when he was personally in the .hands of the British, sent back a message to hiß brethren to be done with fighting the pakeha and to be loyal to the Briton. This injunction the /Arawa has faithfully fulfilled, not only in the present war. Major Vercoe served'in the Boer War with the 6th New Zealand Contingent, for which he has both medals, and when he reached L'ondon not very ' long ago he was informed/ at the War ij Office that he' had won th'eD.O.M., also | in the Boer War, 'and the medal was . then presented to him. r Major Vercoe's prowess'has been al- j most legendary among, the Maoris since the war began. Over and over again, as Sir Tfiomas Mackenzie said, he has walked about under machine gun fire with only a cane under his arm, and on one of the occasions "oh" which he did this, he personally dugj out half-a-dozen men who had been buried. Mr Massey mentioned that he believed Major Vercoe had twice been recommended for' the V.C., but; it was ift\acC6rdatfce'witH an Army rule that the medal should not be given in cases where an- officer unduly exposed, himself to danger.. The medal from the Maoris,, which is an ornamental one, hung from a ribbon of red, white, and blue, bore, the inscription: "A token of remembrance to Captain H. E. Vercbe for" his long service in the ■ 'great 'war, 1914-1918, from Apuamoana Patriotic League." The tribes concerned in the presentation -are the NgatitamateatutaM and i Ngatikawhiti, of Hotoitoi. .

Mr Marco Fosella, who hat ■ compiled this- roll,' '"will be giad to receive; aiiy correct* ions or additions from parent? .> and-relatives. '