Haane Manahi

Haane Manahi (died 1986) was a member of the Māori Battalion from New Zealand in World War II who was nominated for a Victoria Cross, but eventually received a special citation for bravery from the Queen.

In December 2005 the Waitangi Tribunal released their finding to a claim that was lodged by iwi Te Arawa, in 2000, for Manahi. Te Arawa lodged that Manahi should be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery at the Battle of Takrouna in 1943. Sergeant Manahi led his men up a sheer limestone escarpment to capture positions; the following day he set out to capture Italian outposts. Four generals, including Bernard Freyberg and Bernard Montgomery had recommended that Manahi receive the Victoria Cross but this recommendation had been overruled in London. [cite news|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0512/S00143.htm|title=Haane Manahi Victoria Cross Claim|publisher=Scoop|date=19 December 2005]

In October 2006 the New Zealand Minister of Defence announced that Manahi would be recognised by the presentation of an altar cloth, a personal letter from the Queen acknowledging his gallantry and a sword. The Victoria Cross could not be awarded as King George VI had ruled in 1949 that no further awards from World War II ought to be made. [cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3824020a8153,00.html|title=War hero fight over, says iwi|publisher=stuff|date=10 October 2006] The award was presented at a ceremony in Rotorua by Prince Andrew to Manahi's two sons, Rauawa and Geoffrey on 17 March 2007. [cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10429319|title=Queen recognises Maori soldier's bravery|publisher=New Zealand Herald|date=17 March 2007]

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