Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu

Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu VC (7 April 1918 - 27 March 1943) was a New Zealand soldier and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross. A Māori of Ngati Porou and Te Whanau-a-Apanui descent, he grew up in Ruatoria, where he attended Hiruharama School.

Details

He was 24 years old, and a Second Lieutenant in the 28th Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force—known as "Māori Battalion"—during the Second World War when the following deed took place—

"On 26/27 March 1943 during the action at Tobaga Gap, Tunisia, Second Lieutenant Ngarimu, who was commanding a platoon in a vital hill feature strongly held by the enemy, led his men straight up the face of the hill and was first on the crest. He personally destroyed two machine-gun posts and owing to his inspired leadership several counter-attacks were beaten off during the night. He was twice wounded but refused to leave his men. By morning when only two of his platoon remained unwounded, reinforcements arrived. When the next counter-attack was launched, however, Second Lieutenant Ngarimu was killed".

An essay competition has been set up in his name, known as the Ngarimu VC Māori essay competition which comprises both Māori and English categories and is open to students New Zealand-wide.

The medal

The medal was presented to his parents by the governor general, Sir Cyril Newall, at a hui at Ruatoria on 6 October 1943 attended by government leaders, diplomatic representatives and local people. The second of only three Victoria Crosses awarded to Māori, it was displayed in Gisborne in the Tairawhiti Museum’s Prize of Citizenship Gallery during 2004 and 2005.

See also

• Willie Apiata
• William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse
• Victoria Cross
• Victoria Cross for New Zealand
• List of New Zealander Victoria Cross recipients

External links

• Portrait by Peter McIntyre
• Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu biography from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
• Entry in the Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966)
• Full citation
• Other Heroes at www.edgenz.com
• Second Lieutenant M.N.K. Ngarimu in The Art of War exhibition at the UK National Archives
• New Zealand Troops who have won the Victoria Cross (brief biography details)
• http://www.tki.org.nz/r/maori/wharekura/whare14_st4_e.php, article in te reo
• New Zealand Army

Persondata
Name	Ngarimu, Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	7 April 1918
Place of birth
Date of death	27 March 1943
Place of death

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