One of the last three veterans of the 28th Māori Battalion has died.
Tributes have come in for Selwyn Clarke. Photo: Supplied / Kihi Ririnui
Selwyn Clarke, a member of the battalion's A company, died this morning at Kaitāia Hospital.
The father of eight was born in 1926.
Tributes and messages of love have been posted on social media, including one from his whānau:
"Kua hunga te totara i te wao-nui-ā-Tāne o te ngākau, te hotuhotu o te manawa mō te ngarotanga nei. E noho mokemoke tātou te hunga mātauranga i raro i te kapua pouri.
"No reira e te rangatira Selwyn, kua okioki koe i ngā ahuatanga o tenei Ao, kua tae atu koe ki to hoa Rangatira a Rose, otira ki a rātou katoa i te Ao Wairua."
The veteran is lying at Te Paatu Marae in Pamāpūria and will be buried at Tarakākā urupa on Friday.