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Cook Islands Online Cenotaph
Preserving Cook Islands Military History
Akara ki mua e akara katoa ki muri
To be able to look forward, you must be able to look back
Brought to you by
Final rank:
Private
First name/s
No first name on enlistment
Last name
TUTAVAKE
Service number and Regiment/Unit/Corps
16/1220
New Zealand Māori (Pioneer) Battalion, 1st Rarotongan Contingent
Also known as
Tutavake RAA
Date of birth
09/08/1895
Place of birth
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Date of death
15/10/1918
Place of death
Israel/Palestine
Death registration number
NZ1918/56635
(post war NZ death registration)
Headstone/grave location
Gaza War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Next of kin
Raa Vaine (mother), Avarua, Rarotonga
Archives New Zealand online service record
Additional information
Enlisted 30 September 1915 and disembarked in Suez from SS Navua 15 March 1916. Embarked for France with the NZ Pioneer Battalion 9 April 1916. Sent to hospital "In the Field" 28 November 1916. Rejoined from hospital 7 December 1916. Sent back to hospital 8 February 1917. Hospitalised on several occasions from 10 February 1917 to 27 May 1917. Marched into base 29 May 1917. Marched out to Dion 8 August 1917. Rejoined unit from base "In the Field" 9 August 1917. Proceeded on leave 15 August 1917 and awarded 7 days leave 29 October 1917. Detached to the Rarotongan Company 14 January 1918 and embarked for Egypt from Marseille 21 January 1918 and disembarked in Alexandria 4 February 1918. Posted to Rarotongan Company 15 February 1918. Admitted sick to 163rd Field Ambulance dangerously ill with dysentery. Transferred to 36th Stationary Hospital, Gaza 13 October 1918. Died 15 October 1918 in Gaza, Egypt and was buried at Gaza Military Cemetery by Chaplain J. J. Isaac on 16 October 1918.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/651542/tutavake/
Images and documents (click on images to enlarge)
Image credits and references
Headstone image source: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C16046
(photo Alan and Hazel Kerr 2007) - No known copyright restrictions
Portrait of Private Tutavake Raa (right) and an unidentified soldier - No known copyright restrictions
Commemorative certificate courtesy of Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/651542/tutavake/
Further links
N/A
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