James Hēnare

Sir James Clendon Tau Hēnare, KBE, DSO (18 November 1911 – 2 April 1989) was a New Zealand tribal leader, military officer, farmer and community leader. He fought for four years with the Māori Battalion during the Second World War, was wounded at El Alamein, and with the rank of lieutenant colonel was the battalion's commanding officer when the war ended.[1] He stood for Parliament for the National Party in the Northern Maori electorate on several occasions: 1946, 1949, 1951, 1963, and the 1963 by-election.[2][3][4]

Sir James Hēnare
Hēnare, c. 1940s
Born(1911-11-18)18 November 1911
Motatau, New Zealand
Died2 April 1989(1989-04-02) (aged 77)
Kawakawa, New Zealand
AllegianceNew Zealand
Service/branch2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Years of service1940–1946
RankLieutenant Colonel
Commands heldMāori Battalion (1945–46)
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches

Biography

Of Māori descent, Hēnare identified with the Ngāpuhi iwi. He was born in Motatau, Northland, the son of Taurekareka Hēnare and Hera Paerata.[2] He was educated at Sacred Heart College, Auckland and at Massey Agricultural College.

In the 1966 Queen's Birthday Honours, Hēnare was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the Māori people.[5] In the 1978 New Year Honours, he was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the community, especially Māori affairs.[6]

Tau Henare, a member of parliament between 1993 and 2014, is his great-nephew. Peeni Henare, who was elected to parliament in 2014, is a grandson.[7]

References
  1. "James Clendon Tau Henare". 28 Māori Battalion. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  2. McConnell, Puna McConnell and Robin C. "James Clendon Tau Hēnare". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  3. Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. p. 247. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
  4. "The General Election, 1949". National Library. 1950. p. 8. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  5. "No. 44006". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 11 June 1966. p. 6572.
  6. "No. 47420". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 31 December 1977. p. 41.
  7. "Grandson aims to keep Parliament seat in family". The Northern Advocate. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014.


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