THE 28th's GERMAN MASCOT

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5307, 21 January 1947, Page 3

THE 28th's GERMAN MASCOT

Yet another war story rolated by Rev. Whare tini Hangi, j when acting as Padre to Ihe Maori Battalion in the Middle - | l } ti i ■f"*s£sai j icasi ns welJ worth recounting. The story concei*ns the taking ' oi* a German prisoner by a Maori solclier, and illustrates once again the quickly forgiving nature of the Maori as soon as the" exeitoment of battle dies down.

The hero of the story was a husky Maori wiio marehed iu oue day with a huge Jeiry, v/ith his hands well above his hearf, and looking in the last stages of collapse. The Maori havonet arged him on to the Battalion Headquarters hut "when an attempt was ma.le to take the prisoner away with others reeently "bagged," the Maori captor was adamant. "This fel!o\v is niine," he declarod, "1 eaptured him, and he is my property." As it was fairly quiet, it was dec.'ed to liumour the jij'ivat-e, who i thereupon diseovered a new status, j with the Jerry doing- all his ehores, ! eleaning his hnttons, his boots, loolc- ; ing after his gear and generally aet- ! ing as batman. The Maori drew douhle rations, one for self and the (.tiier for "servant."' They shared tueker and duck, until the German became quite a jiopular acquisition to tlie uint. He qriekiy reeovered his spirits, and even entered into the miiitary life of the unit. Several times ihose in aulhority soug.iit to take the prisoner to the rear. but by this time he was the at*eepted mascot of the eompany, even sharing his owner's blankets at night and contentedly sleeping in the same bivvy. He never showed any incliaation to eseape and accepted the odd "blast" from his captor in good part, though th6 larguage barrier led to many inevitable faux pas. Time went on and the battalion was once again ordered to advance. Jerry's master again ' put up a game fig'ht to retnin his "property." He threatened, rage :l and er.tveated. All to no avail. b'erious work lay ahead, and no enrumbrances were allowed. Jerry must .U'O. "The lasi. I saw of them," said Padre. Itangi, "was standing by ihe ii.rry which was about to take the ilun back to the cages. They hud jailen on each other s shoul iers a.id tiu'-re v.eve aefttal tears."