Surrounded by pohutakawa, with traffic flowing past on the expressway below, a group of men who have been lying buried in the Ōtamataha/Mission Cemetery for more than a century now have their graves marked with special crosses.

To honour this year’s 160th Commemoration of the Battle of Pukehinahina – Gate Pā; the Durham Light Infantry Association has sent markers to be placed on the graves of those members of the regiment who fell at Gate Pā and the ensuing battle at Te Ranga in 1864.

A small ceremony to undertake this task was held at 12 noon on Monday, April 29, with a group assembling at the Rawiri Puhirake / Henare Taratoa Memorial.

Puhirake Ihaka addressing the group, next to the Rawiri Puhirake / Henare Taratoa Memorial. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

The cemetery, which is on the site of the Otamataha Pā, contains the graves of about 55 military men killed in the engagements around Tauranga and 14  of the Māori warriors who died at the two battles. Rawiri Puhirake, leader of the iwi at Gate Pā, who was killed at Te Ranga, was exhumed and reinterred here in 1874.

At the ceremony, Puhirake Ihaka of Ngati Tapu, gave a mihi whakatau, which was followed by the laying of a wreath by Les Geraghty, standing in on behalf of Buddy Mikaere.

A prayer was said by Rev John Hebenton from St George's Church, which is located on the site of the Gate Pā battlefield, and bugler Peter Leslie played ‘Last Post’ as the group stood, heads bowed, acknowledging those who died.

Rev John Hebenton from St George's Church speaking at the ceremony. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Lt Col Cliff Simons pointed out to the solemn gathering, the monuments to the Naval Brigade, the 43rd Monmouth Regiment, and the mass Māori grave and where the soldiers and sailors were laid out across the cemetery in rows.

“We are standing on the site where the 68th Durham Light Infantry, the 43rd Monmouth Regiment, Royal Navy sailors and Māori warriors are buried,” says Cliff.

“Behind me is the monument to Rawiri Puhirake the Māori commander and also Henare Taratoa.

“Further away is a column commemorating the Māori who were taken to the military hospital and who died and were also buried in the cemetery.

“I think it’s very appropriate that we commemorate the 68th Regiment and also the other soldiers and sailors who have been buried here.”

Lt Col Cliff Simons speaking to the group about the 68th Durham Light Infantry. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Cliff says he is often reminded about those famous words from the first President of the Republic of Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in 1934.

“Winston Peters our foreign minister referenced that at Gallipoli, and if you’re ever in Gallipoli those words are everywhere. And in some ways the cemetery at Anzac Cove over in Gallipoli is not dissimilar to this, also on the edge of the water.

“Atatürk said to you mothers who sent your sons from far away countries - wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and they’re at peace.  After having lost their lives in this land, they have become our sons as well.”

Cliff says he thinks that same sentiment and quote applies to the men of the 68th Durham Light Infantry and the other soldiers and sailors in the cemetery.

“These men came from the other side of the world, as John [Hebenton] said, in the service of their country, their empire. And they lost their lives here and they have become our sons as well.”

Les Geraghty laying a wreath at the base of the Rawiri Puhirake / Henare Taratoa Memorial. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Cliff says their graves would never have been visited by their families.

“They would have got a message months after the husband or the son had died in some place they wouldn’t even know why he was there or be able to pronounce the name. Those graves have probably never been visited by family.”

The 68th Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1758, from County Durham.

“In those days, Great Britain had a regimental system based on the counties. So these men would have all been from the same region,” says Cliff.

“In 1863 they were actually in Burma, they had been there for quite a while, and were expecting, and no doubt looking forward, to going home.”

The memorial to fallen British soldiers stands near the Rawiri Puhirake / Henare Taratoa Memorial. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

The governor of New Zealand, Sir George Grey had requested reinforcements to deal with a new outbreak of hostilities, and the regiment embarked on three ships with a strength of 974 officers and men.

“The invasion of the Waikato was already in place. They arrived in New Zealand in January 1864, and almost immediately detachments were sent here to Tauranga. “They were here for quite a while, and were under the command of Colonel Greer.”

At the Battle of Gate Pā, the 68th were the regiment that went during the night around the back of the pā, taking up a blocking position.

Lieutenant Graeme Frost with Lieutenant Colonel Warren Banks. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

“They spent the night in the long grass in the rain, and when the attack went in they had to close right up at the back of the pā,” says Cliff.

“They weren't in the actual assault force, their job was to cordon the rear of the pā. During the night following the battle, the Māori who escaped from the pā went through their lines and made their way out.”

Cliff says at the Battle of Te Ranga, on June 21, 1864, the regiment had a pivotal role.

“They were part of the assault column. The Monmouths and they were the two forces assaulting the trenches. Colonel Greer of the 68th Regiment was in overall command at Te Ranga.”

Puhirake Ihaka reading the inscription on the memorial erected in memory of 14 Maori warriors who died from battle in 1864. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

More than 100 Māori, including the chivalrous Hēnare Taratoa, were killed or mortally wounded at Te Ranga, as were 13 British troops. Sergeant John Murray of the 68th Regiment received the Victoria Cross for bravery in the trenches at Te Ranga.

Cliff says the 68th Durham Light Infantry remained in Tauranga for quite a while until early 1865 when a large proportion of them were sent to Whanganui and then Taranaki.

“And then eventually they left New Zealand and headed back to the United Kingdom in March 1866.

“This was at a time when New Zealand was starting to take over its own internal defence. We had our armed constabulary at that stage, and these expensive imperial regiments that we were paying for as a country made their way home.”

There were 179 Durhams who took their discharge from the military and stayed here in New Zealand to begin new lives.

One of the cross markers sent by Durham Light Infantry Association Major Chris Lawton to mark the graves of the regiment 160 years after they were laid to rest at the Mission Cemetery. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

The whole story of the relationship with the 68th Durham Light Infantry and NZ, particularly the NZ Army doesn’t end there.

The next part of the shared story comes 100 years later in the early 1960s, with the backdrop of the decolonisation of South East Asia and particularly the British possessions which were in Malaysia.

“Britain had this plan to amalgamate all of its different colonies in peninsula Malaya and the top half of Borneo which was Sarawak,  Brunei and Sabah, and put all of those colonies together into one ‘super state’ Malaysia, which would be part of the British Commonwealth,” says Cliff.

The NZ Infantry Regiment went across to Malaya to be part of a Commonwealth Brigade to deter a communist insurgency during the Malayan Emergency in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

“Then, in 1965-6, Indonesia, which had just gained independence from the Dutch were having internal problems as well, and President Soekarno didn’t like the idea of this new British-aligned country called Malaysia that was going to have these possessions of Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah on the island of Borneo. So he decided to wage war and infiltrated across the border into those areas.

“Ist Battalion New Zealand Infantry Regiment, as part of the Commonwealth Brigade, was sent to Borneo to try and counteract that.”

Puhirake Ihaka placing a cross marker on the grave of one of the 69th Durham Light Infantry. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Cliff says the 68th Durham Light Infantry Regiment, which was also part of the Commonwealth Brigade, had been there about 9 months when NZ arrived to replace it.

“The commanding officer of the Durham Light Infantry noticed that the two battalions had similar colours – the green and red - so he gifted the stable belt, or the corps belt which is a thick coloured belt which all of the different corps in the NZ Army wear. The Durham Light Infantry had a green one called rifle green with two red stripes, and he gifted that to the NZ Infantry regiment.

“Initially the commanding officer and the RSM and the adjutant would wear that infantry corps belt.”

Cliff says in 1970 it became the belt for all regular force infantry.

“It’s still referred to as the Durham Light Infantry Belt. It’s quite a famous belt.”

NZ Army representatives attending the ceremony at the Mission Cemetery on April 29, 2024. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Cliff himself lived in Borneo for seven years and served with the Royal Bruneian Armed Forces. He is familiar with parts of the jungle and the border that the NZ army was patrolling and helped secure along with the other Commonwealth forces, helping establish the modern state of Malaysia.

Cliff says Buddy Mikaere has spent time developing a relationship with the 68th Durham Light Infantry which continued in British Army service until 1968, when it was amalgamated into the Light Infantry.

“We’ve had visits from remaining members of their association and I’ve got a letter here which is too long to read in full at the moment, but I’ll read the conclusion from someone who has been the president there of the association, and the gentleman who arranged for these crosses to be delivered.”

Trish Geraghty, Lt Col Cliff Simons, Rev. John Hebenton, Puhirake Ihaka, Les Geraghty, Terry Molloy and Debbie McCauley next to the Rawiri Puhirake / Henare Taratoa Memorial. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Cliff then read out the message from Durham Light Infantry Association Major Chris Lawton, now retired:

“In commemorating the Battles of Gate Pā and Te Ranga, honour is given to Māori tipuna and our British forebears who fought and died in Tauranga. The historical events in 1864 resulted in the founding of Tauranga city.  Even with the Battle of Te Ranga where the British had learned their lesson from Gate Pā and overcame the Māori on the 21st of June, 1964, Māori land was confiscated and the British settled in Tauranga. By understanding the history of 1864, the community now can see how far we have come and how much we have achieved together.

“I’m proud to say that as one of the last recruits to join the 68th Durham Light Infantry in 1967, and continuing to soldier until the age of 70, how much has been achieved by our respective city councils in the understanding of the various city departments including culture, art, museums and libraries, and much more in both cities, may this continue to ever be of mutual benefit to our peoples. It’s been an honour for me to write these few words in remembrance of your 160th anniversary. Congratulations.”

One of the cross markers sent by Durham Light Infantry Association Major Chris Lawton to mark the graves of the regiment 160 years after they were laid to rest at the Mission Cemetery. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Puhirake Ihaka recited The Ode, with Rev John Hebenton pronouncing a benediction, following which bugler Peter Leslie played Reveille.

As the last sounds of the bugle drifted across the cemetery, members of the group each took a small grave marker, shaped like a cross, and silently went and placed it at one of the final resting sites of the fallen soldiers from the 68th Durham Light Infantry and other soldiers and sailors.