top of page

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

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

N/A

Further links

N/A

bottom of page