War Medals and Their HistorySteward, William Augustus
History
War Medals and Their History
Steward, William Augustus
Great Britain. Army -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.
=V.C. and three D.C.M.'S.=--On January 25th, 1865, a daring attack
was made on the British camp at Nukumaru, but was repulsed with great
loss. At this place, on the 24th, Captain Shaw of the 18th Royal Irish
gallantly won his V.C., and Privates John Brandon, George Clampitt,
and James Kearns Distinguished Conduct Medals for the daring rescue
of a comrade who had been wounded within about 30 yards of the Maori
position.
After the repulse at Nukumaru the Maoris retired upon Wereros, a Pah
considered by them to be impregnable and apparently also by General
Cameron, for he moved slowly up the coast; and it was not until July
20th, 1865, that the place was attacked, and then under orders from Sir
George Grey, the Governor of the Colony. One hundred of the 14th and a
like number of the 18th Royal Irish were deputed to threaten an attack
on the front of the position, while the 470 colonials and friendly
Maoris worked round the rear. This strategy disconcerted the enemy and
they abandoned their fortress without firing a shot. During the rest of
1865 and 1866 the fighting was restricted to the West Coast.
In January 1866 an expedition was organised against the Hau-Haus, a
body of fanatics whose religion was a strange mixture of cannibalism,
paganism, and Christianity. The force consisted of 139 of the 14th,
100 men of the 18th Royal Irish and a like number of the 50th, 45
Forest Rangers, and 300 native auxiliaries under Major Rocke of the
Royal Irish. This little army captured the palisaded village of Otahuhu
and the Putahi Pah, a fort in the top of a hill 500 feet high covered
with dense and primeval jungle. On the night of October 17th Papoia,
a native village in the depths of the primitive forest, was captured,
and the Hau-Haus no longer offered serious resistance. This was the
last serious engagement in which the regular troops took part, and for
the rest of the campaign, which terminated in 1869, the Colonials were
engaged under the direction of Colonel (afterwards Sir George) Whitmore.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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