SOLE SURVIVOR
VETERAN OF CAPTURE OF OTAPAWA STOCKADE. Saturday was the 67th anniversary of the capture of. Otapawa Pa, South Taranaki, by a force bf 616 men under the command of Major-General Trevor Chute. The only surviving member of that force is Sergt-Major Bezar, of Wellington, who will be 95 j years of age next month. The attack on the pa took place on ! January 14, 1866, Major-Genera] Chute being assisted by three field guns. His force included 200 men of the 14th Regiment, 180 men of the 57th ("Diehards"), 36 Forest Rangers (under Major von Tempsky), and 200 friendly natives. The pa was defended by more than 200 Hauhaus. The engagement, which was a sharp one, terminated with the capture of the defences and the retreat of the surviving Maoris, who lost about 30 killed. The British losses were 11 killed, including Lieut.-Golonel Jason Hassard, and 20 woiinded. Sergeant-Major Bezar, who is still active and in good health in spite of his advancing age, reealls vividly the assault on the Hauhau palisades and the operations of the Forest Rangers, who cleared the bush on the right flank of the pa during and after the j assault.
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Bibliographic details
Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 435, 20 January 1933, Page 3
Word Count
197SOLE SURVIVOR Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 435, 20 January 1933, Page 3
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