Rotorua
District Library and the Rotorua Museum WW1 Hero Competition
This library guide provides information on resources
relating to New Zealand in WW1 with a list of useful books, websites and
databases available at the Rotorua District Library. It is not a complete
list but is intended to help you get started with your research. Books
about WW1 can be found at these dewey numbers 355's and 940's. WW1
websites and databases can be accessed here.
Come along to the library for one of our weekly workshops
for help with the WW1 research competition.
Where: 2nd floor – Information Services
When: Every Thursday from 4 Feb – 26 March
Time: 3:30pm – 4:30pm
The Arawa were the first to enlist in the New Zealand Army
in 1914.
"In Rotorua there were scarcely any but older people,
the women and children, every Arawa who could pass the doctor and look fit to
carry a rifle and swag went into the camp to train for the great adventure. The
age limit was liberally construed. There is a young maori at Matata who
enlisted with the Arawa in the 1st Maori Contingent, fought at Gallipoli in
1915 was invalided home where he married an Arawa girl and volunteered for
further service abroad when his wife stopped his wandering by informing the
authorities that he was only seventeen!"
"The Arawa and the Ngati Kahungunu of Te Wairoa were
the first to volunteer to go to war for the British. They were organised into B
Company and Platoon's 5 to 8 were shipped out to Auckland firstly on the
troop-steamer 'Warrimoo' to Wellington where they took part in a Parade at
Newtown Park before leaving for Gallipoli on 15 February 1915"
1st Contingent : B Company, Platoon 5 = Te Arawa ;
Platoon 6 = Te Awa-a-te-Atua to the East Coast and Waiapu ; Platoon 7 = Uawa
(Tolaga Bay) and Gisborne ; Platoon 8 = Ngati Kahungunu from Te Mahia to Napier
and Wairarapa.
Captain Roger Dansey, whose dash has already been
mentioned, himself killed three Turks with the bayonet. An anecdote of his
alertness...was narrated by by one of his men long afterwards. "Captain
Dansey", he said is as good a fighter as he was a footballer. Once a big
Turk jumps up ahead of him he levels a rifle at his head. But Dansey just ducks
and goes in for that Turk low down; the bullet goes over his head..."
Excerpts from James Cowan's 'The Maori's in the Great War'
