Willie apiata biography

Victoria Cross for New Zealand medal winner

Bill Henry "Willie" Apiata, VC (born 28 June ) is an honorary warrant officer class one in the New Zealand Army Reserve Forces.

As a corporal in the New Zealand Special Air Service, he became the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand.

Willie apiata biography wikipedia

He received the award on 2 July for bravery under fire during the War in Afghanistan in , in which he carried a gravely wounded comrade across a battlefield, under fire, to safety.

Apiata is the only recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand, which replaced the Imperial Victoria Cross in ^[2][3] 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.^[4] Apiata is the second Māori recipient of the VC serving with New Zealand forces, after Second Lieutenant Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu (also of Te Whanau a Apanui).

Apiata has donated all of his medals,