What happened to Willie apiata?
There are no living New Zealand recipients of the Victoria Cross, which was last awarded to a New Zealander for actions in the Second World War….
| Willie Apiata | |
|---|---|
| Battles/wars | East Timor War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Victoria Cross for New Zealand |
Is Willie Apiata still in the SAS?
Nearly seven years after leaving the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), Victoria Cross recipient Willie Apiata is going back into battle. This time, the former SAS soldier is fighting for the welfare and futures of the men and women who leave the services who, in his words, currently get nothing.
Who is Willie apiata What is the Victoria Cross and what led to him being awarded his medal?
Bill (Willie) Apiata VC is the first, and so far only, recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand, which was instituted in 1999 to replace the British Victoria Cross. He earned the award for rescuing a wounded comrade under fire in Afghanistan in 2004.
Where was Willie Apiata from?
Mangakino, New Zealand
Willie Apiata/Place of birth
When was Willie apiata born?
June 28, 1972 (age 49 years)
Willie Apiata/Date of birth
When did Willie apiata receive the VC?
2 July 2007
Apiata carried ”D” 70 meters through exposed ground and enemy fire – and miraculously neither man was hit. Apiata then returned to resume the fight. On 2 July 2007, Corporal Willie Apiata was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery.
Has anyone refused the VC?
THE Queen who gave her name to the Victoria Cross refused to grant the bravery award to a British soldier because she felt he had been “immoral” towards enemies he killed. The story of why Private Patrick McGuire was denied the honour has re-emerged after more than 160 years as his other medals come up for auction.
Has anyone won 2 Victoria Crosses?
Take a bow, Charles Hazlitt Upham. The World War Two hero was, and remains, the only combatant to receive two Victoria Crosses. (The only other two people to have been awarded twice were medics rather than soldiers.)
When was Willie apiata awarded VC?
How many SAS soldiers does NZ have?
| New Zealand Special Air Service | |
|---|---|
| Role | Special operations Special reconnaissance Counter-terrorism CBRNE Disposal |
| Size | One regiment |
| Part of | Special Operations Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Papakura Military Camp, Auckland, New Zealand |
When did Willie Apiata join the New Zealand Army?
He enlisted in the New Zealand Army on 6 October 1989 in the Territorial Force Hauraki Regiment of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. He unsuccessfully attempted to join the Special Air Service (SAS) in 1996.
Why was Willie Apiata awarded the Victoria Cross?
It’s these qualities, honed in his home town of Te Kaha and through his career in the New Zealand Army, which led him to performing one of New Zealand’s most heroic acts of bravery. In 2004, he was awarded the honourable Victoria Cross of New Zealand for the role he played in a firefight in Afghanistan.
Why did Willie Apiata leave Special Air Service?
Prime Minister John Key today revealed Apiata was leaving the Special Air Service to work for the youth charity High Wire Trust. In a statement, Apiata confirmed his departure, saying he was leaving ‘‘to pursue my goals and to grow with my family”.
Why did Willie Apiata take command of his platoon?
Lance Corporal Apiata assumed command of the situation, as he could see that his superior’s condition was deteriorating rapidly. By this time, however, Lance Corporal Apiata’s exposed position, some seventy metres in front of the rest of the Troop, was coming under increasingly intense enemy fire.