Wiremu Whareaitu Explained

Wiremu "Bill" Whareaitu (15 August 1912 − 3 April 1973) was a New Zealand swimmer, who represented his country at the 1934 British Empire Games in London.

Whareaitu was the national 150 yards backstroke champion in 1934,^[1] and travelled to the Empire Games in London that year as part of the three-strong New Zealand swimming team. At those games he finished fourth in his heat of the 100 yards backstroke and did not progress. He reached the final of the 3 x 110 yards medley relay with teammates Noel Crump and Len Smith, finishing fifth.^[2]

Of Te Arawa and Tūhourangi descent,^[3] Whareaitu served with the 28th (Māori) Battalion during World War II,^[4] and competed in the battalion's team at the New Zealand Division swimming championships at Maadi, Egypt in September 1943.^[5] In May 1945 he was commissioned as a second lieutenant.^[6]

Whareaitu died in 1973 and was buried at Kauae Cemetery, Ngongotahā.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Wiremu Whareaitu . Online Cenotaph . Auckland War Memorial Museum . 18 April 2015.
2. Web site: Wiremu Whareaitu . 2013 . New Zealand Olympic Committee . 18 April 2015.
3. Book: Electoral district of Eastern Maori: general roll of persons entitled to vote for Members of Parliament of New Zealand . 1949 . 222.
4. Web site: Wiremu Whareaitu . Ministry for Culture and Heritage . 18 April 2015.
5. Web site: Battalion swimming team, 1943 . Ministry for Culture and Heritage . 18 April 2015.
6. Web site: New Zealand, World War II appointments, promotions, transfers and resignations, 1939–1945 . 2014 . Ancestry.com . 18 April 2015 . subscription .
7. Web site: Cemetery database report . Rotorua District Council . 18 April 2015.