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Māori Battalion History

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Māori Battalion History

Read the historical briefing, then use evidence from it to complete the activities. Te reo Māori words are included with English meanings. Word bank for the fill-in-the-blank questions: whānau, iwi, pakanga, toa, aroha, kāinga.

Historical briefing: 28th (Māori) Battalion

The 28th (Māori) Battalion was a New Zealand Army unit formed in 1940 during the global conflict of 1939–1945. Its members were Māori, drawn from iwi throughout the country. The battalion served overseas as part of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force. It fought in Greece and Crete, in North Africa, and later in Italy. Māori soldiers served in all four companies, which were organised by iwi groupings, as well as in specialist roles. The battalion became known for its courage and strong sense of comradeship, but its service came at great human cost: many were killed or wounded, and others endured long periods away from home.

Evidence trail

Use this timeline to keep the battalion’s service in order. The places are listed as stages of the wider campaign, not as a route followed by every individual soldier.

1940 — Battalion formed

1941 — Greece and Crete

1941–1943 — North Africa

1943–1945 — Italy

1.In which conflict did the 28th (Māori) Battalion serve? Choose the best answer.

The First World War
The Second World War
The Korean War
The New Zealand Wars

2.According to the briefing, name two places or campaigns where the battalion served.

3.Put these events in chronological order by writing 1–4 beside each: Italy; battalion formed; North Africa; Greece and Crete.

4.Which statement best explains how the battalion was organised?

All soldiers came from one iwi.
The battalion had four companies organised by iwi groupings, alongside specialist roles.
Each company served in a different war.
The battalion was made up only of specialist soldiers.

5.The briefing says the battalion was known for courage and comradeship, while also noting deaths, wounds, and time away from home. What does this contrast help us understand about military service?

Historian’s workshop: words and interpretation

In this section, use the definitions and evidence rather than guessing what a historical source might say.

6.Match each te reo Māori word to its meaning.

whānau
iwi
toa
pakanga

war, battle
family, extended family
tribe, people
warrior; brave

7.Complete the sentence using one word from the word bank in the instructions: “Soldiers came from many .”

8.Complete the sentence using one word from the word bank in the instructions: “The was fought far from home.”

9.Complete the sentence using one word from the word bank in the instructions: “Separation affected each soldier’s family and extended family, their .”

10.True or false? The briefing says every soldier followed exactly the same route through every campaign listed.

TrueFalse

11.A classmate says, “The battalion mattered only because it fought overseas.” Use one detail from the briefing to challenge or qualify this claim.

12.The briefing gives a broad overview, not individual soldiers’ voices. Write one respectful question you would ask a descendant or historian to learn more about how service affected whānau or iwi.