http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI6TRTBZUMM
A video of the passionate haka performed by the comrades of three fallen New Zealand soldiers has gone viral, with tens of thousands of people around the world watching the clip.
The 2nd and 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment performed the moving tribute for Corporal Luke Tamatea, 31, Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker, 26, and Private Richard Harris, 21, at their funeral service at the Burnham Military Camp in Christchurch on Saturday.
The trio were killed instantly when a roadside bomb destroyed their Humvee in Afghanistan’s northeast Bamiyan Province on August 18.
A video of the haka put on YouTube by the New Zealand Defence Force has gone viral, with more than 122,000 views.
The emotional tribute was given publicity by CNN host Piers Morgan, who shared the clip with his 2.6 million followers on Twitter.
“Astounding, and deeply moving, Haka tribute to fallen comrades in Afghanistan by @NZDefenceForce,” the Briton wrote.
Army spokesman Major John Gordon told the Herald last week the haka represented their “outpouring of emotion”.
“Our military is a small organisation and people tend to all know each other,” he said.
“Many soldiers don’t tend to show their emotions. But today, you saw their collective grief. Their personal grieving will come later.”
By Paul Harper @paulharper_nzh
11:42 AM Tuesday Aug 28, 2012
About gary
Gary Traynor is the volunteer Administrator of the Militaria based website MEDALSGONEMISSING. The aim of this "NOT FOR PROFIT" website is to reunite families, with lost War Medals and other items of militaria. Anything from medals to items of uniform. What Gary refers to as their "lost heritage". He has been actively involved in the Militaria world and researching of Military History for well over 30 years. As a result, Gary also conducts valuations and offers advice on all items of militaria. He has acted as advisor to a number of television and Foxtel productions; including Sir Tony Robinson's "Tour of Duty" series which featured on the History Channel. Gary is a field historian and conducts tours to Gallipoli, The Western Front, Kokoda and many other major battle sites around the world. He was a member of the Australian Army Reserve (UNSWR & 4/3 RNSWR) and served for 23 years with the New South Wales Police Force. He is perhaps the only person who has been employed at the Australian War Memorial in all three capacities .... as a volunteer, part time and full time employee .... starting as a qualified tour guide, working in the public galleries as an Information Assistant and finally Assistant Curator in Military Heraldry & Technology.
Medalsgonemissing is a website that will assist you in locating your family's lost war medals and other awards. If you have an ancestor who served in any of the British Commonwealth Armed Services at any time - and whose medals are lost/stolen or simply missing....then so long as the medals are out there - this site will help you to locate them.
However the site also contains articles of interest in relation to Military History, War Memorials & Uniforms / kit. Please explore our website as there is sure to be something of interest to you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI6TRTBZUMM
