Eric and Ru Henry were two Cook Islanders from Aitutaki who were part of D Company, 28th Maori Battalion during World War ll. This Battalion was part of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force which usually contained 700 to750 men divided into five Companies. All those involved were Army volunteers, writes Howard Henry.

Both Eric and Ru served during the North Africa Campaign of 1941-43 against Erwin Rommel and the German “Afrika Korps”. They also came into conflict with soldiers of the Italian Army who were fighting there in support of the Germans.

 Members of the 28^th Maori Battalion were therefore part of the British Eighth Army. They found the German “Afrika Korps” to be extremely competent, highly organised and a very efficient military opposition. Many battles took place across Egypt, Libya and Tunisia as both sides fought to take control of North Africa.

The heat and climatic conditions Eric and Ru had to handle in North Africa were often extreme. They went into battle under a blazing hot sun with nothing but miles and miles of sand and sand dunes all round. They experienced ferocious sandstorms at times along with endless swarming flies as they fought against some of the best military soldiers the “Third Reich” had to offer.  

This period of time of 1941-43, was indeed a real test to the courage and fortitude of every man who was serving in the 28^th Maori Battalion.

 They had no choice but to be where they were.

They had no choice but to keep fighting.

There was nowhere to run.

There was no place for anyone to hide.

One thing all members of the Maori Battalion were conscious of, was to look after and where possible, help and support those men around them as part of their platoon or Company. Friendship and loyalty amongst the men was extremely strong. This commitment to help, support and back-up their fellow soldiers was one of the great strengths to all those men who served in the 28^th Maori Battalion.   

With the British Armed Forces coming from the east, the American Forces landed in Morrocco to start advancing from the west. So Erwin Rommel and the German “Afrika Korps” were then confronted with Enemy Forces coming at them from two sides with considerable military strength.

At one point, when the Germans were under severe pressure and defeat looked imminent, Adolf Hitler apparently asked Erwin Rommel as to what he needed in order to be totally successful and take control of Egypt.

Rommel replied, “Give me a Maori Battalion and I will conquer the world.”

In one of his dispatches at the time, General Freyberg wrote, “No Infantry Division had a more distinguished record, or saw more fighting, or alas had such heavy casualties than the Maori Battalion. They are indeed soldiers of the finest order.”

By June/July 1943, the German and Italian Forces were finally defeated in North Africa. Many of their soldiers died or were injured in battle. There were also many German and Italian soldiers who surrendered to either British or American forces once it became obvious to them that the fight for territory in North Africa was now a lost cause.

Eric and Ru Henry were then part of the Sicily Invasion of July-August 1943. They were then fully involved with the Italian Campaign which began in September 1943 and lasted until the end of the war in 1945.

Both Eric and Ru, as part of the 28^th Maori Battalion, fought their way up through Italy in some of the most fiercely fought battles of that period. Casualties in the Maori Battalion were extremely high. But the courage, commitment and dedication to duty of all those who served, distinguished these soldiers as one of the best fighting units of World War ll.

Advancing up Italy, against a very stubborn and passionate Germany resistance was no easy task.

The landscape of Italy was often rugged and challenging with many mountains and rivers to cross. Progress was often very slow, not only because of the German resistance, but also because of the landscape conditions the advancing Allied soldiers had to endure.

Members of the 28^th Maori Battalion found the Italian people to be very welcoming. Many of these people detested the Germans and so welcomed the new arrivals with great appreciation. The Maori, in return, very much appreciated the warm-hearted Italian people.

The winter months of 1943 and 1944 brought snow, frosts, rain and a lot of mud which made the task of fighting this war even harder than what it originally was.

But the men of the 28^th Maori Battalion had no choice but to persevere.

Eric and Ru Henry had to keep going. Despite the hardship, suffering and terrible combat conditions that Italy had to offer during the winter months in particular, both men were fighting for their survival. They were fighting to stay alive. They were fighting in the hope of seeing the final end of this Second World War which would allow them to then return to New Zealand.

When World War II came to an end in 1945, Eric and Ru Henry were guarding German prisoners in Northern Yugoslavia. So both men survived the War and returned to New Zealand.

Throughout their later years of life, both Eric and Ru rarely spoke about the horrors, challenges and hardship they faced on the battlefields of North Africa and Italy. They had no desire to talk about the conflicts they had been in. They did not talk about their mates who had lost their lives during their active years within the 28^th Maori Battalion.

But what they did talk about on occasions, were some of the fun-times they had when not on active duty.

They often told of hilarious things they, and some of their colleagues got up to, when officer’s or men of middle-to-high rank were not around to see what was going on. Some of their stories were actually very funny.

Eric Henry died in Christchurch on ANZAC Day 2009. He was 90 years of age. He was buried in North Hokianga, NZ, next to his wife Kath (nee Ruka) Henry.

Ru Henry died a short time later in Auckland. He was 89 years of age. Ru was cremated and at his request, his and the ashes of his wife Murial, were buried next to the grave of his father, Geoffrey “Tiavare” Henry, at the Family Cemetery on Aitutaki.

 On ANZAC Day of this year 25 April 2025, a small ceremony was held on Aitutaki to commemorate Eric Akakoa Henry and his period of years with the 28^th Maori Battalion during World War ll.

 Ru Henry already has a small plaque in place next to his father Geoffrey “Tiavare” Henry at the Family Cemetery.

So on this occasion of ANZAC Day this year, a small plaque was put in place for Eric Henry next to his father’s grave as well.

Following the early morning ANZAC Day commemoration at Arutanga, this second commemoration event was held for Eric a short distance away.

Many people turned up for this event. Speeches were made commemorating and reflecting on the life and times of Eric Henry. Especially those years when Eric was part of the 28^th Maori Battalion during World War ll.

 This occasion was indeed be a fitting tribute to a man who deserved to be commemorated this way.

Geoffrey “Tiavare” and Metua Grace Kamire Henry had five children who grew into adulthood.

Albert Royle Henry, the first born, went on to become the first Premier/Prime Minister of the Cook Islands for 13 years from 1965 to 1978.

Tai-o-Tonga, a Coastwatcher during the years of World War ll, served as a Radio Operator at Nikau for his entire working career.

Eric Akakoa was followed by Ru Henry.

Youngest member of the family was Marguerite (nee Henry) Story who was Madam Speaker of the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly for 13 years from 1965 to 1978. She was the first woman in the Commonwealth to hold such a distinguished position in any Commonwealth Parliament.

In memory of Eric and Ru Henry and all their colleagues in the 28^th Maori Battalion goes the following :

“They shall grow not old

As we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them

Nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun

And in the morning

We will remember them

Lest we forget.”