Maori units in the WWI New Zealand Expiditionary Force WWI

A DigitalNZ Story by Thomasin Sleigh

This set brings togethers content about Maori service and action in the First World War. All pf this material is reusable.

WWI, first world war, maori, pioneer, battalion, native contingent

Image: Maori Pioneer Battalion

Maori Pioneer Battalion

Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Newspaper

MAORI WARRIORS (Evening Post, 08 April 1919)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Maori Pioneers await their evening meal on the Somme

Maori Pioneers await their evening meal on the Somme

Alexander Turnbull Library

Newspaper

MAORI PIONEERS (Evening Post, 07 April 1919)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Maori Pioneers making a barbed wire entanglement, France

Maori Pioneers making a barbed wire entanglement, France

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Pioneer Maori Battalion soldiers performing a Haka for Massey

Pioneer Maori Battalion soldiers performing a Haka for Massey

Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Image: Massey and Ward inspecting Pioneer Maori Battalion Soldiers

Massey and Ward inspecting Pioneer Maori Battalion Soldiers

Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Image: Members of the Maori Pioneer Battalion, 30 June 1918

Members of the Maori Pioneer Battalion, 30 June 1918

Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Image: Members of the Maori Pioneer Battalion in plane

Members of the Maori Pioneer Battalion in plane

Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Image: Pioneer Battalion making a road, France

Pioneer Battalion making a road, France

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Maori Contingent

Maori Contingent

Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Article

Maori Units of the NZEF - Māori in the NZEF

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Article

Maori Contingent at Gallipoli - Māori in the NZEF

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: 3/4 portrait of Private Ruru with the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion.

3/4 portrait of Private Ruru with the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion.

Auckland Libraries

Image: Prime Minister William Fergusson Massey and Joseph George Ward inspecting the Maori Pioneer Battalion, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

Prime Minister William Fergusson Massey and Joseph George Ward inspecting the Maori Pioneer Battalion, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: 3/4 portrait of Lieutenant Awarau of the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion, wearing a Returned Soldiers Association badge.

3/4 portrait of Lieutenant Awarau of the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion, wearing a Returned Soldiers Association badge.

Auckland Libraries

Image: Soldiers on the anti-aircraft guard of the New Zealand Pioneer Maori Battalion camp, Bayencourt, France

Soldiers on the anti-aircraft guard of the New Zealand Pioneer Maori Battalion camp, Bayencourt, France

Alexander Turnbull Library

Article

On the Western Front - Māori in the NZEF

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: 1/4 portrait of Corporal Moana Ngata, Reg No 19735, of the Maori Contingent, 19th Reinforcements, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion.

1/4 portrait of Corporal Moana Ngata, Reg No 19735, of the Maori Contingent, 19th Reinforcements, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion.

Auckland Libraries

Image: Full length portrait of Corporal Harry, probably (private in the roll) Purie Dave Harry, Reg No 16/1371, of the 3rd Maori Contingent, Rarotongans, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion.

Full length portrait of Corporal Harry, probably (private in the roll) Purie Dave Harry, Reg No 16/1371, of the 3rd Maori Contingent, Rarotongans, ...

Auckland Libraries

Image: Members of the Pioneer Battalion laying a road in Messines, Belgium

Members of the Pioneer Battalion laying a road in Messines, Belgium

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Members of the Pioneer Battalion inspect a downed Bristol fighter F2B during World War I

Members of the Pioneer Battalion inspect a downed Bristol fighter F2B during World War I

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: The Pioneer Battalion cheering Massey and Ward on their departure, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

The Pioneer Battalion cheering Massey and Ward on their departure, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Pioneer Battalion performing a haka

Pioneer Battalion performing a haka

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Group portrait of two Privates of the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion, one is Private Richard Abraham, Reg No 16/1397, of the 5th Maori Contingent.

Group portrait of two Privates of the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion, one is Private Richard Abraham, Reg No 16/1397, of the 5th Maori Conting...

Auckland Libraries

Image: 3/4 portrait of Private Florian of the Maori Contingent, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion, wearing a New Zealand Returned Soldiers Association Badge

3/4 portrait of Private Florian of the Maori Contingent, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion, wearing a New Zealand Returned Soldiers Association B...

Auckland Libraries

Image: 3/4 portrait of Private Percy Rameka, Reg No 16/1574, of the 5th Maori Contingent, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion. Died at sea en route to New Zealand from France on 26 May 1918.

3/4 portrait of Private Percy Rameka, Reg No 16/1574, of the 5th Maori Contingent, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion. Died at sea en route to New...

Auckland Libraries

Image: Sir Joseph Ward addresses the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion, World War I

Sir Joseph Ward addresses the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion, World War I

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Pioneer Battalion soldiers at the funeral of Lieutenant-Colonel George A King, Ypres

Pioneer Battalion soldiers at the funeral of Lieutenant-Colonel George A King, Ypres

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Pioneer Battalion soldiers at funeral of Lieutenant-Colonel George A King, Ypres

Pioneer Battalion soldiers at funeral of Lieutenant-Colonel George A King, Ypres

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Members of the Pioneer Battalion performing a haka for ministers Massey and Ward, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

Members of the Pioneer Battalion performing a haka for ministers Massey and Ward, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Members of the Pioneer Battalion performing a haka for ministers Massey and Ward, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

Members of the Pioneer Battalion performing a haka for ministers Massey and Ward, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Prime Minister Massey and Deputy PM Ward inspect the Pioneer Battalion, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

Prime Minister Massey and Deputy PM Ward inspect the Pioneer Battalion, Bois-de-Warnimont, France

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Pioneer Battalion soldiers in the cockpit of a downed Bristol fighter F2B during World War I

Pioneer Battalion soldiers in the cockpit of a downed Bristol fighter F2B during World War I

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Joseph George Ward and a soldier smoking cigars

Joseph George Ward and a soldier smoking cigars

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Bridge built by New Zealand engineers

Bridge built by New Zealand engineers

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Full length portrait of Bugler Warnock Pake Heka, Reg No 16/1497, of the 5th Maori Contingent, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion.

Full length portrait of Bugler Warnock Pake Heka, Reg No 16/1497, of the 5th Maori Contingent, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion.

Auckland Libraries

Image: 3/4 portrait of 3 Privates, Pitama, probably of the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion.

3/4 portrait of 3 Privates, Pitama, probably of the New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion.

Auckland Libraries

Image: Members of the Maori Pioneer Battalion sharpening a hatchet at Bayencourt during World War I

Members of the Maori Pioneer Battalion sharpening a hatchet at Bayencourt during World War I

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Members of the World War I Maori Pioneer Battalion taking a break from trench improvement work, near Gommecourt, France

Members of the World War I Maori Pioneer Battalion taking a break from trench improvement work, near Gommecourt, France

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: New Zealand Pioneers filling in a mine crater outside a church in Beauvois, World War I

New Zealand Pioneers filling in a mine crater outside a church in Beauvois, World War I

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Sir Thomas MacKenzie with Peter Buck in France during World War I

Sir Thomas MacKenzie with Peter Buck in France during World War I

Alexander Turnbull Library

Newspaper

PIONEER BATTALION (Evening Post, 22 March 1919)

National Library of New Zealand

Newspaper

MAORI PIONEERS. (Thames Star, 20 October 1916)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: MAORI PIONEERS (Otago Daily Times 5-4-1919)

MAORI PIONEERS (Otago Daily Times 5-4-1919)

National Library of New Zealand

Newspaper

MAORI SOLDIERS (Evening Post, 03 June 1919)

National Library of New Zealand

Newspaper

CONSCRIPTION FOR MAORIS (Hawera & Normanby Star, 15 June 1917)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: CONSCRIPTION FOR MAORIS. (Taranaki Daily News 15-6-1917)

CONSCRIPTION FOR MAORIS. (Taranaki Daily News 15-6-1917)

National Library of New Zealand

Newspaper

ON THE SOMME (Evening Post, 24 March 1917)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: THE MAORI SOLDIERS (Otago Daily Times 25-1-1919)

THE MAORI SOLDIERS (Otago Daily Times 25-1-1919)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Māori Battalion officers receiving decorations

Māori Battalion officers receiving decorations

Auckland Libraries

Article

Pioneer Battalion - Māori in the NZEF

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Article

Further information - Māori in the NZEF

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage