Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8,995
The "Flagstaff War" ...
Since 1840, the British have finally set out to finally annex the New Zealand islands, which they have partially occupied!
The matter is similar to how the Europeans conquered the Indian territories of the USA:
In the "Warangi Treaty" on February 6, 1840, the British had assured the Maori that the Māori tribes would have unadulterated property of land, forests and fishing grounds ...:
In return, the natives tolerated British soldiers and settlers (whom they called "Pākehā", which means "fair-skinned seafaring beings") in the country.
Gradually, however, the British undermined the treaty and allowed settlers to settle in areas that were contractually assigned to the Maori.
But the Maori indigenous people have a very warlike tradition and do not even think of submitting without a fight!
In the years between 1843 and 1872 the British had to wage several extremely loss-making wars against the Maori.
The first of these wars is the so-called "In return, the natives tolerated British soldiers and settlers (whom they called "Pākehā", which means "fair-skinned seafaring beings") in the country.
Gradually, however, the British undermined the treaty and allowed settlers to settle in areas that were contractually assigned to the Maori.
But the Maori indigenous people have a very warlike tradition and do not even think of submitting without a fight!
In the years between 1843 and 1872 the British had to wage several extremely loss-making wars against the Maori.
The first of these wars is the so-called "Flagstaff War" (in German: Flagpole War ").
The Maoiri leader of the Ngāpuhi tribe, Hone Heke ...War" (in German: Flagpole War ").
The Maoiri leader of the Ngāpuhi tribe, Hone Heke ...
... had already sawed down a mast with the British flag three times on the so-called Flagstaff Hill, a signal point near Russel, which is in his tribal area in the north of New Zealand's North Island ...:
Back then the flag played a completely different - and much bigger - role than it does today, and the British are absolutely no joke!
On March 10, 1845, Hone Heke fell the flagpole a fourth time ...
... and triggers the "Flagstaff War"!
The ax that Hone Heke used to lower the mast has been preserved and is now on display in the museum ...:
The British are sending soldiers under Lieutenant Colonel William Hulme ...
... and have to start a regular campaign against Hone Heke's tribe (who are supported by other tribes).
In several bloody skirmishes (the Maori have procured modern rifles and always take ammunition and weapons from fallen British) only a military stalemate is initially achieved because the Maori know the jungle-like terrain well and can exploit it ...:
In the Battle of Ohaeawai, which the British claim to be their victory to this day because the enemy has left the battlefield, Hulme's deputy Lieutenant Colonel Despard loses ...
In the Battle of Ohaeawai, which the British claim to be their victory to this day because the enemy has left the battlefield, Hulme's deputy Lieutenant Colonel Despard loses ...
... more than a third of his troops - and the actually encircled Maori fighting force can escape.
Action follows counter-action, the Maori fight back doggedly and skillfully!
The natives are finally retreating to a fortress they built for themselves called Ruapekapeka Pa ("Pa" means "fortress"), in whose strength they trust and show peace offers from British Governor George Edward Gray ...
...back.
From the Maori fortress only parts of the earthworks and a broken and abandoned British siege cannon can be seen today ...:
Now the British are collecting everything they can find in cannons and soldiers - including marines from their fleet - and besieging Ruapekapeka from December 27, 1845:
In addition to the marines, two complete regiments, the 59th and 99th, are deployed, as well as ship artillery.
British assaults are all repulsed ...
... the Maori fortress is ingeniously constructed!
In later battles, the Maori will always copy the system, while the British made the construction as "Gunfighter Pā" in military history.
Then - surprise! - the Maori are getting involved in peace negotiations with the British governor!
The reason:
It is a custom among the Māori that the site of a battle in which blood had flowed becomes a taboo - so they had to leave the protective fortress.
How the British assess the military strength of the Maori shows the peace conditions they grant the indigenous people ...:
Chief Hone Heke and his deputy (and constructor of the fortress) Te Ruku Kawiti ...
... are amnestied and none of their land is confiscated.
The status quo has been restored, which equates to a Maori victory.
In the "Flagpole War" 82 British soldiers are killed - 164 are wounded.
This plaque commemorates some of the fallen ...:
The Maori casualties are 94 dead and 148 injured.
The British erect the flagpole on Flagstaff Hill a fifth time after the end of the war.
It still stands there today ...:
In the next 27 years, the British will have to wage four more wars totaling over 500 skirmishes before they finally subdue the Maori militarily.
Since 1840, the British have finally set out to finally annex the New Zealand islands, which they have partially occupied!
The matter is similar to how the Europeans conquered the Indian territories of the USA:
In the "Warangi Treaty" on February 6, 1840, the British had assured the Maori that the Māori tribes would have unadulterated property of land, forests and fishing grounds ...:
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/be4/be4a16eb8f635778ba1fed1a0265b0ff.jpg)
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/a30/a3086fdd2df9659db0ccbbc79e43c487.jpg)
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/439/43978c64f00f02f15a6bf453210ce497.jpg)
In return, the natives tolerated British soldiers and settlers (whom they called "Pākehā", which means "fair-skinned seafaring beings") in the country.
Gradually, however, the British undermined the treaty and allowed settlers to settle in areas that were contractually assigned to the Maori.
But the Maori indigenous people have a very warlike tradition and do not even think of submitting without a fight!
In the years between 1843 and 1872 the British had to wage several extremely loss-making wars against the Maori.
The first of these wars is the so-called "In return, the natives tolerated British soldiers and settlers (whom they called "Pākehā", which means "fair-skinned seafaring beings") in the country.
Gradually, however, the British undermined the treaty and allowed settlers to settle in areas that were contractually assigned to the Maori.
But the Maori indigenous people have a very warlike tradition and do not even think of submitting without a fight!
In the years between 1843 and 1872 the British had to wage several extremely loss-making wars against the Maori.
The first of these wars is the so-called "Flagstaff War" (in German: Flagpole War ").
The Maoiri leader of the Ngāpuhi tribe, Hone Heke ...War" (in German: Flagpole War ").
The Maoiri leader of the Ngāpuhi tribe, Hone Heke ...
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/368/368144a2305b069f2f3f314e72c039de.jpg)
... had already sawed down a mast with the British flag three times on the so-called Flagstaff Hill, a signal point near Russel, which is in his tribal area in the north of New Zealand's North Island ...:
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/725/7256048ca8d8ec714d1ca8db2de28471.jpg)
Back then the flag played a completely different - and much bigger - role than it does today, and the British are absolutely no joke!
On March 10, 1845, Hone Heke fell the flagpole a fourth time ...
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/fa1/fa13e98dff53ec3fde41b7dedf13a746.jpg)
... and triggers the "Flagstaff War"!
The ax that Hone Heke used to lower the mast has been preserved and is now on display in the museum ...:
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c91/c915c9724508a8b3f7fac4f169b26a06.jpg)
The British are sending soldiers under Lieutenant Colonel William Hulme ...
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/e22/e22df031cad8656819188fb5314634cf.png)
... and have to start a regular campaign against Hone Heke's tribe (who are supported by other tribes).
In several bloody skirmishes (the Maori have procured modern rifles and always take ammunition and weapons from fallen British) only a military stalemate is initially achieved because the Maori know the jungle-like terrain well and can exploit it ...:
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/327/32704a80df62392688127ac295d3b67a.jpg)
In the Battle of Ohaeawai, which the British claim to be their victory to this day because the enemy has left the battlefield, Hulme's deputy Lieutenant Colonel Despard loses ...
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/ae1/ae15bc23b8331953f79ff858370ec823.jpg)
In the Battle of Ohaeawai, which the British claim to be their victory to this day because the enemy has left the battlefield, Hulme's deputy Lieutenant Colonel Despard loses ...
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/ba5/ba58254ee1345f255eb947add1feb1b6.jpg)
... more than a third of his troops - and the actually encircled Maori fighting force can escape.
Action follows counter-action, the Maori fight back doggedly and skillfully!
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/fad/fad56b8899b782fc2cbceb61fa44e540.jpg)
The natives are finally retreating to a fortress they built for themselves called Ruapekapeka Pa ("Pa" means "fortress"), in whose strength they trust and show peace offers from British Governor George Edward Gray ...
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c35/c3561bb7f32da7d774eb9132e9516721.jpg)
...back.
From the Maori fortress only parts of the earthworks and a broken and abandoned British siege cannon can be seen today ...:
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/7e1/7e1f5a3fe3050b9246d7b981ca02ec20.jpg)
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/6f8/6f8c5466e6712fd9a42b0792fbd617ff.jpg)
Now the British are collecting everything they can find in cannons and soldiers - including marines from their fleet - and besieging Ruapekapeka from December 27, 1845:
In addition to the marines, two complete regiments, the 59th and 99th, are deployed, as well as ship artillery.
British assaults are all repulsed ...
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/490/49094971ec403442fb9abba58ca4c487.gif)
... the Maori fortress is ingeniously constructed!
In later battles, the Maori will always copy the system, while the British made the construction as "Gunfighter Pā" in military history.
Then - surprise! - the Maori are getting involved in peace negotiations with the British governor!
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/240/24052fcc79ff541cc8369337910671fc.jpg)
The reason:
It is a custom among the Māori that the site of a battle in which blood had flowed becomes a taboo - so they had to leave the protective fortress.
How the British assess the military strength of the Maori shows the peace conditions they grant the indigenous people ...:
Chief Hone Heke and his deputy (and constructor of the fortress) Te Ruku Kawiti ...
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/61a/61a3b44c5ea9b662de50ed4044ef8ee6.jpg)
... are amnestied and none of their land is confiscated.
The status quo has been restored, which equates to a Maori victory.
In the "Flagpole War" 82 British soldiers are killed - 164 are wounded.
This plaque commemorates some of the fallen ...:
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/14a/14a2a20e7e1f121821c3380f5fe4ef3b.jpg)
The Maori casualties are 94 dead and 148 injured.
The British erect the flagpole on Flagstaff Hill a fifth time after the end of the war.
It still stands there today ...:
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/fc7/fc790b04a399c749a31253cd40521165.jpg)
In the next 27 years, the British will have to wage four more wars totaling over 500 skirmishes before they finally subdue the Maori militarily.