Battle of Ohaeawai forgotten
Kaikohe residents Marge and Martin Watts want people to know about The Battle of Ohaeawai that seems to have flown under the radar in the Far North.
Growing up in the Hokianga, Martin learnt about the battle in the early 60’s and has studied it ever since.
He says stories from the event are dieing out with the older generation.
‘‘Overseas skirmishes are reported but not this one,’’ Martin says.
‘‘People don’t know about it, if it keeps going the way it’s going it will be forgotten.
‘‘It’s important to recognise the people that lost their lives.’’
The story of the battle has a personal connection to Marge, whose great grandfather Heta Te Haara fought in the battle.
In June of 1845 British Colonel Henry Despard assembled the largest British force yet seen in New Zealand and moved to attack Te Ruki Kawiti’s new pa at Ohaeawai.
The pa was built by Pene Taui and transformed into a fortress by Te Ruki Kawiti, one of the leaders of the Ngapuhi confederation which fought in the Northern War of 1845-46 against the British and other Ngapuhi led by Tamati Waka Nene.
Fighting began on June 24. On July 1 Kawiti launched a raid, resulting in a party of 250 of Colonel Despard’s best men approaching the pa to be met with blazing gunfire.
In a matter of minutes 40 British troops lay dead and another 70 were wounded.
Only a handful of defenders were killed.
After living in Rotorua for 40 years the couple noted that town was great at promoting local his- tory.
‘‘When we came home one thing we noticed was the volume of history that is not known about,’’ Martin says.
The St Michael’s Anglican Church stands at the site on SH10 between Ohaeawai and Kaikohe. The church was built by local Ngapuhi in 1870.
At the opening in 1872, the remains of soldiers killed in the 1845 battle were reinterred.
Inside the church is an account of the battle and a memorial plaque.