Henare Wepiha Te Wainohu

Henare Wepiha Te Wainohu

Henare Wepiha Te Wainohu (1882–1920): chaplain

Henare Wepiha Te Wainohu was a chaplain during the Gallipoli campaign. At first there was official opposition to sending Maori troops into battle, and after months of training in Egypt and garrison duty at Malta, Maori troops were becoming restless. Eventually the Maori Contingent was sent to reinforce the New Zealand troops at Gallipoli, and it arrived in July 1915. On 6 August they were sent into battle beside their Pakeha comrades at Sari Bair. On the eve of the battle, Te Wainohu preached a sermon that was later much quoted and that formed the basis for a proverb. As well as exhorting the soldiers to be fearless in battle and not to turn their backs on the enemy, he reminded them of their duty to uphold the warrior tradition of the Maori: 'remember you have the mana, the honour and the good name of the Maori people in your keeping this night'. This appeal, in particular, gave courage to the soldiers.

Henare Te Wainohu risked his life for others on many occasions at Gallipoli. In the company of the medical officer, Major Peter Buck, he carried out the wounded, distributed water and comforted the dying – often under fire. He was wounded in the back in September 1915. After the evacuation of Gallipoli, Te Wainohu accompanied the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion, into which the contingent had been integrated, to France.