The mayor of Arras, Frédéric Leturque is scheduled to arrive today to meet the descendants of Cook Islands soldiers who were sent to assist the New Zealand Tunnelling Company at Arras, France during World War I from July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918.

The late Angene, Solomon Itaaka/Isaac and Tau Kopungaiti were part of the 43 Māori Pioneer Battalion. The tunnellers in the lead up to the Battle of Arras in 1917, developed caverns under the city of Arras and prepared 12 miles of tunnels.

Isaac Solomona, a grandson of one of the tunnellers Solomon Itaaka (Isaac), is pleased Leturque will be visiting Rarotonga for the first time. He has met the French mayor in Aotearoa New Zealand and Arras, France.

Over the years Solomona has kept in touch with Sue Baker Wilson who has researched hundreds of military personnel files and identified 38 of the 43 Māori Pioneer Battalion members who served with the New Zealand Tunnelling Company. Wilson informed Solomona of the mayor’s visit.

Cook Islands World War 1 soldiers Angene is buried in Rarotonga and Solomon Itaaka in Aitutaki, however the burial site for Tau Kopungaiti from Mangaia is yet to be located and documented.

In Rarotonga, Leturque and his delegation will visit the Returned Services Association (RSA) on Wednesday at 9.30am. They will be received by Thomas Annas, president of the RSA, and his officials.

He will also visit the RSA cemetery entrance archway wood carving depicting WW1 Māori soldiers – carved by artists Michel Tuffery and Michael Tavioni –and the specially carved sea shell monument by Tuffery that was inspired by the Arras Tunnel seashell left behind by the Cook Islands WW1 soldiers.

In the evening at 6pm a get-together with the Arras Mayoral Delegation and the descendants of the three Cook Islands Battalion Soldiers will be held at the National Auditorium.