Maoris of 'C' Company, 28th Maori Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Division

Colourised by Doug Banks

     Maoris of 'C' Company, 28th Maori Battalion of the 2nd New Zealand Division perform the 'Haka' (ancestral war dance) for the visit of King George II of Greece, his wife the Queen, his cousin Prince Peter and Major General Freyberg. At an army training camp at Helwan in Egypt. In the early evening of the 25th of June 1941.

     The four men in the foreground are, l to r: John Manuel (from Rangitukia, KIA 15/12/41), Maaka (Bill) White (Wharekahika, KIA 23/11/41), Te Kooti (Scotty) Reihana (Rangitukia, WIA), Rangi Henderson (Te Araroa, KIA 26/3/43).
      King George of Greece was visiting the New Zealand troops that had assisted he and his family in escaping from Crete, the previous month. (see '42nd Street' below).

 'The Battle of 42nd Street' - a line running south from Suda Bay to the foothills of the Malaxa escarpment.

      On the morning of the 27th of May the Australians and New Zealanders formed the rearguard of the Commonwealth force retreating southward toward the evacuation beaches at Sfakia. The troops on '42nd Street' looked out from the cover of an earth bank through closely planted olive groves toward a creek, which the desert-wise Australians called a "wadi". Their commanding officers conferred, agreeing that if the Germans came close they would attempt a counter-attack.

      As the Germans approached, two of the 2/7th's companies suddenly charged, shouting and firing, taking the Germans in their flank. New Zealanders of the 28th (Maori) Battalion quickly joined in the attack. Startled by men erupting from dense cover, the Germans ran before the Australians.

      The charge at '42nd Street' stopped the 5th Alpine Division (5.Gebirgsjäger-Division) for the rest of the day: 200 Germans and four Australians died on the 2/8th's front, with the Maoris estimating that they had killed another 80 Germans. That afternoon, though, '42nd Street's' defenders saw mountain troops moving across the foothills of the escarpment. Staying would lead to encirclement and the defenders withdrew to join the columns trudging south. Five days later, after the tortuous retreat through the White Mountains, the 2/7th reluctantly surrendered on the cliffs above Sfakia.