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Story: Ngā pakanga ki tāwāhi – Māori and overseas wars

Māori Battalion march to victory!

Audio file

The song 'Māori Battalion' was adopted as the battalion's marching song. It was also a popular radio hit in New Zealand. The lyrics were written by Anania Amohau of Te Arawa, who served in B Company of the battalion. The image shows the battalion marching through the Volturno Valley area of Italy in 1944.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, War History Collection (DA-01514)

Reference: PAColl-5547-022

Sound file from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, Radio New Zealand collection. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. To request a copy of the recording, contact Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision (Maori Battalion - In Maori/sa-d-00912-05-s02-pm).

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Monty Soutar, Ngā pakanga ki tāwāhi – Māori and overseas wars – The 28th (Māori) Battalion, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/speech/36695/maori-battalion-march-to-victory (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Monty Soutar, published 5 June 2012, updated 1 May 2016.