Warfare has dominated the news agencies over the first part of this year, the attacks made by Israel and the United States of America on two countries that they did not like, grabbing our attention. This war has of course resulted in the deaths of thousands of ordinary people – citizens. The commanders seem to have fared well, except for those targeted for assassination in the initial attacks.
It is also the time of year where we cast our thoughts to those that have fought, and possibly died, in past wars, especially so at the ANZAC Day commemorations that are held around the country. These thoughts can be personal, they certainly are for me, as we remember family members and friends who fought for their country.
One such person was my grandfather. He was a farm worker and he and his brother went to war so that they could see more of the world and help their country. Influenza delayed my grandfather’s enlistment, but he joined the 1st Otago Battalion and eventually reached the battlefield in Armentieres in May 1916. While fortunate to miss the Gallipoli campaign, action on the French front line was no picnic. He was wounded in the knee by German rifle fire which, while he recovered from this, caused him discomfort throughout his years. Once recovered, he returned to the front line, being eventually captured by the Germans while defending an advance post with a small group of men. The fighting in this war ended for my grandfather when he was incarcerated at the Parchim Prison Camp in Germany. He eventually made his way home upon his release at the end of the war. Many thousands would have had similar stories. Many had worse experiences, but all were heroes.
Upon his return to New Zealand, my grandfather was able to purchase a small farm in South Canterbury with assistance provided by the government’s programme to assist returned service men. The rest of his story, marriage and raising a family commences from this point, but I will not bore you with those details.
Many young Maori men had the same desires to see the world and defend their country. Many, but not all. The so called “Maori rebellion” which resulted in much land confiscation in the 1860s was still an open sore for many, especially so in the Waikato, and these people wanted no part of fighting in a war for the English Monarch, especially as they now had a king of their own. One from our region who chose to fight was Charles Savage from Hikuai who enlisted along with three of his brothers. Charles was a member of the Hauraki Territorials and so was rapidly promoted to Sargeant after his enlistment. He departed for Europe with the 2nd Maori Contingent and saw much fighting in France. His last letter home, written in Belgium on 1st April 1917 and sent to his sister, Mrs T Watene, stated “that he had had many narrow squeaks but so far had come out all right”.
Charles and three brothers left Hikuai to fight in the war in Europe, only two returning alive. Valentine returned an invalid and Lance Corporal Tom, who was wounded at Gallipoli but later returned to fight on the front line in France, also made it home. The other brother was Sam who enlisted with the First Australians and fought through the Gallipoli campaign, before being wounded twice in France and eventually making the ultimate sacrifice there. Lest we forget, all were heroes.
There is another person I wish to mention in this pondering. He was not a soldier, and being American of suitable age, was eligible to be drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. However, he managed to avoid this, but not as a conscientious objector to war. Four times he received education deferments to allow him to finish college. His fifth deferment was a medical exemption based on a podiatrist’s report which stated he had bone spurs on his feet. The New York Times reported the podiatrist to be Dr Larry Braunstein who was a tenant of Fred Trump, the draftee’s father. Both Dr Braunstein’s family members and Donald Trump’s ex lawyer have verified that the medical deferment was a made-up fake injury to ensure Donald did not have to serve his country. Whatever we think of compulsory national service, this is not heroism, it is using money and influence in a dishonest way to get a decision according to privilege not the law. It is easier to contrive a privilege and not take the honourable course when you choose to use your Daddy’s money in that way.
Three personal stories, all different but two of them are stories to be proud of. I don’t think I will ever know exactly what it is like to serve on the battlefield and am grateful for this. But I do believe that this disqualifies myself, and others like me, from ever sending young men off to die for political purposes. It most definitely should disqualify cowardly old bullies from doing so.
Lest we forget.
