Corporal Tikitanu, V.C.

J. C. FUSSELL
(Author of Letters from Private Henare Tikitanu. )
AUCKLAND:
Worthington & Co., Printers, Albert Street.
1918.
Cover design by permission of Proprietors Auckland Weekly News.
The first time I remember catching sight of Henare Tikitanu was when he was acting as referee at a dog-fight in a Maori village in the Waikato district.
The dog-fight was no concern of mine. I was just riding past when my attention was drawn to Henare. He was endeavouring to see fair play for both the combatants. He was very excited over the affair because another Maori, named Wiremu, was hampering one dog by pulling his tail.
Then they flew into each other's arms and settled it that way. The dogs looked up in surprise, retired to a safe distance, and watched the proceedings, giving an occasional bark of encouragement.
Henare won. He deserved to, for he was a clean fighter and a true sport.
This event happened about two years before the Great War broke out, when Henare was eighteen. So it was not surprising that he should have been one of the first of the Waikato tribe to volunteer for service at the front, when he had reached twenty-three.
Kiri was undecided. The war might be long; the distance to France was great; the dangers and risks were many.