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Willie Apiata
Victoria Cross for New Zealand medal winner / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bill Henry "Willie" Apiata, VC (born 28 June 1972) 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. He received the award on 2 July 2007 for bravery under fire during the War in Afghanistan in 2004, in which he carried a gravely wounded comrade across a battlefield, under fire, to safety.
Willie Apiata | |
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![]() Apiata in 2020 | |
Nickname(s) | Willie |
Born | (1972-06-28) 28 June 1972 (age 52) Mangakino, New Zealand |
Allegiance | New Zealand |
Service/ | New Zealand Army |
Years of service | 1989–2012 |
Rank | Warrant Officer Class One |
Service number | M181550[1] |
Unit | 6th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment New Zealand Special Air Service |
Battles/wars | East Timor War in Afghanistan |
Awards | Victoria Cross for New Zealand |
Apiata is the only recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand, which replaced the Imperial Victoria Cross in 1999.[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, including his VC, to New Zealand.[5] In 2008 he succeeded Sir Edmund Hillary as the "most trusted New Zealander".[6]