The last remaining officer of the 28th Māori Battalion has died, aged 96.
Lieutenant Alfred 'Bunty' Preece Photo: Māori Battalion
Lieutenant Alfred 'Bunty' Preece died this morning surrounded by family.
Born in the Chatham Islands, Mr Preece initially enlisted with the New Zealand Army Service Corps in 1939, before being transferred to the 28 Māori Battalion, D company, in Egypt.
He later became the national president of the 28th Māori Battalion.
He published the book, Hoia Toa Alfred Preece, with journalist Tom O'Conner in 2012 in an effort to capture some of D Company's history and enable younger generations to remember what they did.
The book described how Mr Preece rose through the ranks to lead platoons of men from the King Country, Ngāti Kahungunu and the South Island in Italy.
In a newspaper article published in 2012, Mr Preece said he believed Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyburg captured the sacrifices of the battalion best when he wrote: "No infantry had a more distinguished record, or saw more fighting, or, alas, had such heavy casualties, as the Māori Battalion."
Mr Preece is survived four of his seven children and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
