Story: Asian conflicts

Māori gun crew in Korea, 1953 (2nd of 4)

Māori gun crew in Korea, 1953

An all-Māori gun crew from 162 Battery of the 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, smile for the camera in Korea in 1953.  From left are Gunners P. Te Kani, W. Martin, J. J. Hudson and B. Manga, and Lance Bombardier J. T. Popata. In contrast to the world wars there were no formal Māori units in Korea. Officially Māori and Pākehā served together. Despite this, Māori often informally organised themselves into gun crews or other small units. For some Pākehā serving in mixed units, it was their first experience of extended contact with Māori. Although the Māori migration to the cities had begun by the early 1950s, most Māori still lived in rural areas such as East Coast and Northland.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, War History Collection (DA-01514)
Reference: K-2007-F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Ian McGibbon, 'Asian conflicts - Kayforce', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/34526/maori-gun-crew-in-korea-1953 (accessed 22 May 2024)

Story by Ian McGibbon, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 Feb 2016