Pte William Raroa who was born on 2 June 1896 in Waiapu. He was a Labourer living in Tokamaru Bay and single. He attested at Narrow Neck Camp on 21 June 1916 into the Maori Reinforcements. He left NZ on 23 September 1916 and arrived in the UK at Devonport on 18 November. He was admitted to Walton on Thames hospital on 11 January 1917 and was there as a patient or on the staff until 30 January 1918. On 31 January he was transferred to NZ General Hospital No 3 at Codford and was there as a patient or on the staff until 11 May when he went to Hornchurch. He left for France on 11 June and arrived at Etaples on 13 June. He was admitted to hospital in France with myalgia on 21 June and discharged on 2 July. He was admitted to hospital again on 21 July at Camiers diagnosed with lobar pneumonia. He was transferred to the UK arriving at Walton on Thames hospital on 10 August. He was due to be evacuated back to NZ but died on 6 December 1918 of acute pneumonia, phthisis (TB), toxaemia and cardiac failure and he was buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery on 10 December, with and alongside Paki Conrad, who died on the same day.

Graham Grist, December 2020 ( NZ Remembrance Army)