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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
Rima
Last name
PA
Service number and Regiment/Unit/Corps
16/1195
New Zealand Māori (Pioneer) Battalion, 1st Rarotongan Contingent, 3rd Rarotongan Contingent
Also known as
Tamatoa Rima Opura (Ariki)
Date of birth
21/01/1896 (as per headstone inscription)
Place of birth
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
Date of death
24/03/1976
Place of death
New Zealand
Death registration number
NZ1976/34582
Headstone/grave location
Died in New Zealand. Returned to Aitutaki, Cook Islands for burial at the Palace Grounds, Arutanga, Aitutaki, Cook Islands
Next of kin
Pa Nirau (father), Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Archives New Zealand online service record
Additional information
Enlisted with the 1st Contingent as 'Pa RIMA' and with the 3rd Contingent as 'Rima PA'. Enlisted 28 September 1915 and embarked from New Zealand 4 February 1916. Disembarked at Suez 15 March 1916 as part of the NZ Pioneer Battalion and embarked for France 9 April 1916. Admitted sick to 8th Casualty Clearing Station then on 31 July 1916 to 35th General Hospital at Calais and transferred to England 7 August 1916. After a time in 2nd London General Hospital he was invalided to New Zealand on SS Rotorua from Plymouth on 17 November 1916. Disembarked 9 January 1917 and was discharged 26 March 1917 as medically unfit due to illness contracted while on active service. Embarked at Wellington on SS Paloona for return to Rarotonga. Assessed as fit for service in November 1917 in Rarotonga and joined the 3rd Rarotongan Contingent and enlisted 16 February 1918. Disembarked at Suez ex. SS Port Lyttleton 3 August 1918 and joined the Rarotongan Company 18 September 1918 in Palestine. Embarked for New Zealand per SS Malta 14 December 1918 and was discharged 20 March 1919.
Private Rima PA is the brother of Sergeant George TUAINE 12/1812 (3rd Reinforcements, 1st Battalion Auckland Infantry Regiment)
During WW2 he served with the New Zealand Home Guard.
Images and documents (click on images to enlarge)
Image credits and references
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Further links
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