In 1939-1946 I went to war.
I fought in Crete, Greece.
Although it has been a long time.
Painful memories are still fresh.
They said it would be fun.
An adventure.
A free trip around the world.
We were right.
Until we hit the battlefield.
Signed up north.
Faked our ages.
Me and my mates overjoyed.
We bid farewells to family and friends.
Not realising some of us might not return.
We were put into A Coy.
Known as the Gum Diggers.
We trained and trained and trained.
I hated it.
A couple months later we were shipped off to meet them.
The Nazis.
The look on our faces was telling exactly how we felt.
Petrified. Petrified.Petrified.
We try'd to hide it but our faces wouldnt budge.
We were frozen.
We found a place to hide.
More like rubble.
We slept.
We looked.
We thought.
We talked.
This went on for about 2 days until finally we saw them.
The nazis.
We moved.
We shifted.
We called.
They heard us.
we started to shoot we shot three the rest retreated.
But came back with more men and upgraded weapons.
they started shooting at us.
My mate who was next to me got shot straight through the heart.
we cried
he died
right there and then .
in front of my eyes.
my eyes.
there eyes.
all distracted out of focus from them.
The nazis.
i shudder remebering the rest
it hurts too much.
hurts more than me getting shot by 1000 bullets.
hurts more than me thinking i wont get to see my family again.
i though about taking my life.
i wouldnt. i couldn.
ive been lucky
ive survived.
ive got to have a life
goals
job
kids
grandchildren .
i have been badly scarred more than you could possibly imagine.
but slowing the pain is healing.
Kisharni Kotuku
Te Hokuwhitu-A-Tu
Whangara Marae
The Whale who paikea ride on (mini version)
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