The Dude had just joined the military as a 16 year old and was posted miles away from home. 

The Dudes secondary school was a Grammar school - and there were very few Maori boys there.

When the Dude looks back and thinks of this person Joe , he feels privileged to have met such a unique and special character.

Joes thoughts and beliefs  and feelings and the way he handled himself ...was so very different.

Also, Joes dad was an absolute legend - he served with distinction as part of the maori battalion during world war 2...his father was wounded in action ..and from the Dudes few visits he got so much......the Dad had such an easy going friendliness about him and it was hard to believe he had been part of some of the most intense                                                                                                                              military action ever seen....

Crete 1941

The allied forces had had a shocking time of it in Greece and in the meditarranean island of crete it appeared to be a similar story unfolding. Efficient battle hardened German forces were again having their own way again.

The German airborne had taken the airfield and were pushing the allies all the way down to the bottom of the island. 

At Suda bay - the allies were beaten - with no evacuation plan, they were in dissarray.

 The allies found themselves literally with backs against the wall and staring down the gun barrell of defeat.

Tired, demoralised, lacking confidence ...at the lowest ebb... There was a pause in the battle  .... As they waited for the advancing Germans to deliver their final blow.... 

 What unfolded then is still seen as one of the finest pieces of military action ever witnessed in world war 2 - in the memoirs of several senior officers there - among them dual Victoria Cross winner Captain Charles Upham...

"the morning air was still and the Maori started it..".

 The battle cry went out.. Blood curdling cries..and the battalion rose as one .....

They marched with fixed bayonet.. They marched straight at the advancing enemy. A battle charge with such ferocity that it shocked the Germans. Bloody hand to hand combat ensued with selfless acts of courage.

 

Significantly, the Maori showed absolute faith that their actions were part of a greater thing ..a greater spirit… the Maori routed the Germans by 8 to 1 and contributed to the total annihilation of German airborne (which significantly were not seen again for the remainder of the war - see Battle for Stalingrad)

Dude footnote: that was one of the finest hours of the very proud maori battalion… and from that moment the Maori battalion knew ...they were more than a match for the German military machine and Erwin Rommel himself... Commented as much in his famous tribute directly to them… 

When Dude thinks of this World War 2 story and Joe's dad and Joe – he thinks of the wonderfull underlying spirit