Seventy-five years ago 230 Māori soldiers were killed in The Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy at the end of World War II.
It remains one of the 28 Māori Battalion's darkest days.
Today a large contingent of over 100 Māori descendants whose forefathers fought in each of the four companies of the 28, departed our shores on a pilgrimage to honour the bravery and sacrifice of our men.