BATTLE OF PUKEKOHE

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 559, 20 August 1920, Page 3

BATTLE OF PUKEKOHE

HONOURING THE DEAD. V EARLY HISTORY RECALLED. W . Qn. of last week Miss E. Sti\t]ianj, Government inspector of graves, paid a visit to Pukekohe East fcemetejjjr. The object of the visit was to visw the graves of Maori warriors who fell ih the Battle of Pukekohe on September 14, 1863; and also to discuss the erection of n memorial over theif graves. Miss I btatham was met at the railway station by the Rev. S. Niion and M!r. Thos. Hamilton, and driven to Pukekohe East Church in Mr. Hamilton's motor-car. A the residents of the district had come along to the church to foeet the visitor, and a very pleasant half-hour was spent. Miss St&thom was keenly interested in the old church and its Robinson had brought her a history of the war, froifejuhich severafr,#assages were read,,f|S|i^ occupied fy battle pointed pqjt. Hi# St«ha»h intorme* J those present that sfce would M ? pleased to recommend to the j ment the (erection of an iiistfHbed in the/ churchjjp^.' g!k M'°ll°Wng graphic aAra} j s r r l ® v'Sto- Society, Princes Street,

&|^B§feP s ' the siege stood by the setgukekohe Church in 1863 will fcnytfcing show that ofa members of the '^ ayS ROne by s,eep ' _ sixties Pukekphe was" of % outposts of European setcement ih Auckland. The roads leadib/ thither were mere bridle-tracks % through the dense forest, yet asr early fs-m. m. TTNorris visited the •' district and held service iu Mr. Dear-j house. In 18G3 a church was erected, a wooden building 28ft by l#ft, with a ' small porch and sur■v' mounted by a belfry. The Maori War was then on the eve-of breaking out afresh. The natives of Taranaki had < ".wcceeded in gaining the sympathy of the people of the Waikato in their lantj troubles, and the idea was again taking possession of the natives that thfcy could and would drive all the Europeans into, the sea. On the European side large forces were being gathered, and extensive preparations for the coming struggle. The v • at ' VftnCP was made on V Bwpnay, July 12, 18(>;), when General Cameron Kvith 2000 men cWed the Maiingatawhiri from Jha QWen's Re'«fc>»bt. Rev. to the Redoubt but could 'hold no servM* ai-io fa men were /left in capu*,. <li«ving been assured Jthat steps had been taken to project the* settlers, he rode over to PtiKelfohe and held service in the afthe people were leaving itho church a detachment "of about' i*st and o'ccupwil' evening. The next' Maoris jnade -a hostile derao"Pi9n *t Meri Meri, and on .. ww. they shot a settler and J»w son, ndmed Meredith, on the , outskirts of Pukekohe settlement. j News of this was hurriedly sent - Toundnnd the settlers gatifeMLjnto house, left for Drury, where the Prest byterlan Church was pressed into service a great many 'families being crowded into it. On Ufl Friday an escort was attacked and cut to pieces at Shepherd's Bush, the deadend wounded being brought to j/Km and a buttle was fought Valley. War had begun in earned Seldom has a congregation assembled rpnder more affecting circumstances or presented a more peculiar appear- . anre than that in the Drury Church on July miserably cold, wet dajr, when the Rev. T. Noif lie conducted Divide service. Having removed-their families to Auckland, soma the settlers agreed to return Jo PukekAfHS** geant Perry with 10 spfKlconT stables was sent to coming and ft th t 6 P art y> 29 all. took of the church and began to erect a stockade of logs and slab 9 surround ed by a ditch. The work was com P'eted on three sides only, with a screen of boards on the fourth, wher the splitting party were fired on i; the bush. The return fire was fool ishly kept up for an hour, wasting precious ammunition and leading j number of men to come from Mai tyn's farm only to find it was a fals alarm and to vow never to retun The position was felt to be quite un safe, and Messrs. Roose and Com rie were sent to Auckland to ask fo more men and ammunition. Befoi they returned, on Monday, Septembe 14, the natives set fire to Mr. Com rie's house within half a mile of tin church, hoping to draw the men ou of the stockade. The ruse was no successful, and shortly after nln. o'clock they attacked the churc'. Had the Maoris charged when thi fired the first volley no white mawould have been left to tell the ta!« as most were outside and unarmei hot fire was kept up by the n; tives from the cover of the bu> about 40 yards distant, and about i o'clock it was thought they wen about to charge, as they came ver} iii'ur mi/! made the place ring wit) tl.-ir savage yells. Their leader ad- &!"• into the open and called out W\ fM-«.d Knplish, "Come out, you cow < i rds, aiifl be men! do not stop be I lie logs." lie was brought down, and a display of fixed bayonets had some effect in inducing them to retreat back to cover. About noon the firing slackened and it was seen that the Maoris were cooking their dinners. It was then found there were only ten rounds of ammunition left per man, and water was scarce. No wonder that the spirit of the defenders sank low.

Meantime the two deputies wer -eturning from Auckland. Mr Com rie was detained at Drury to guid< ■\n officer, and Mf. Roose came o< -'lone. Finding the attack going or l e turned and rode rapidly to Spring ''eld for assistance. About 12.30 th men in the church were delighted t< •iear the sound of a bugle, and re •wnfiod with thw ringing cheers. T proved to be a small detachmer J from Springfield, who joined thor inside to their very great re'ifif, '■ being now known that further hf' would soon arrive. Both sides ker up a steady fire until about thrr o'clock, when 200 or 300 men arrive from Drury, and in less than ha' f nn-hour the fight was practical' over. It was brought to an end b a gallant charge of the relieving so' diers. The loss on the British sid was three killed and seven wounder 1 No one had been injured inside th' stockade, though there were sonv very narrow escapes. The Maoris left six dead behind them. These were buried in the churchyard the follow ing morning. Many years after Rewi stated that their loss was 26 killed and 56 wounded, 25 of whom died of their wounds.