Wiremu Whareaitu
Whareaitu in 1934
Personal information
Born(1912-08-15)15 August 1912
New Zealand
Died3 April 1973(1973-04-03) (aged 60)
New Zealand
Spouse
Katarina Riripeti Riripotaka
​
​
(m. 1935)​
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportSwimming
Achievements and titles
National finals150 yds backstroke, 1st (1934)

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]

References

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


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