Cornelius Campion

  General Notes:

From NZ Army Lists 1866:
CAMPION Cornelius Captain Rangitikei Rifle Volunteers 04 Sep 1863

From NZ Jurors 1849 (Port Nicholson)
Campion Cornelius, Kai Warra Rd, Settler

From: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/7572/rangtura.txt
Campion, Mr Con b 1819 QNS IRE > 1840s NZ, 65th Regt

The 65th [Yorkshire North Riding] Regiment of Foot

Nicknames
The regiment's official nickname was the "Royal Tigers", earned from their service in India, and the regimental badge. The Maori called the regiment the "hickety pips" after the Maori pronunciation of 65th -"hikete piwhete".

The 65th sailed to New South Wales from England, provided guards on convict ships during 1845 and 1846. Two companies of the regiment were moved in 1846 to the Bay of Islands, but arrived after the fighting ended. Other detachments were stationed in Auckland. By 1847 the whole regiment had been moved to Wellington, a detachment of which took part in the skirmish at Horokiri. Companies of the 65th relieved the garrison of the 58th Regiment in Wanganui and took part in the fighting there. The regiment remained in garrison in Wellington and Wanganui for 14 years. The 65th Regiment was the only British regiment to serve in both the fighting in the 1840's and the 1860's.

The year 1860 saw the headquarters of the 65th Regiment based in Auckland, but in February of that year the regiment sailed to New Plymouth. It was soon in action at the 'L' Pa at Waitara, and a detachment of the 65th stormed the rifle pits at Mahoetahi. During 1861 the regiment was strongly engaged at the sieges of Huirangi and Te Arei. At the cessation of hostilities the regiment was withdrawn to Auckland where it was stationed first at Otahuhu and later at Drury. A detachment returned to New Plymouth when the Second Taranaki War broke out and were present at the storming of Katikara Pa in June 1863.

The outbreak of the Waikato War saw several companies of the regiment stationed along the Great South Road and in September 1863 a detachment of the regiment was heavily engaged at the skirmish at Camerontown. The 65th sustained losses in the unsuccessful attack on Rangiriri Pa and moved forward to Paterangi from which it advanced against the village of Rangiowhia. Detachments of the regiment were present at the action at Hairini and the siege of Orakau. In 1864 a detachment of the regiment took part in the Gate Pa battle.

Respect between Enemies
There was reportedly a strong respect and chivalrous, almost friendly behaviour between the 65th Regiment and the Maori. No such respect existed for some other units, e.g. the 70th being taunted to "Go back to India". The Forest Rangers were particularly disliked, probably due to their use of guerilla tactics, which offended the Maori warrior code.

For example, as described in The York and Lancaster Regiment, Vol 1, p 112, when pickets from the 65th went into the bush at night, they would identify themselves to the Maori and ask them if there would be fighting that night. If the reply was something like "Not tonight - too wet and cold; we’d better get some sleep. Good night, Hickety Pip." both sides would honour the agreement. If there was going to be an attack, they would be given warning, then be expected to fight like any other regiment.

On other occasions, during a lull in fighting, there would be a temporary truce and the Maori and men would exchange food and tobacco and the Maori would point out where they had carefully buried and neatly fenced off, the bodies of 65th men.

On another occassion, when the 65th led an assault on a pa, a Maori shouted out for the Regiment to lie down, because they wanted to fire at the following regiments. The request was ignored.

The respect of the regiment for their enemies was such that a memorial plaque, with the following inscription, was placed in St John's Church, Te Awamutu:

THIS TABLET
WAS ERECTED BY THE SOLDIERS of H.M. 65TH REGIMENT
AS A MEMORIAL of The NEW ZEALANDERS WHO FELL IN THE
ACTIONS AT RANGIAOHIA ON THE 21st and 22nd FEBRUARY 1864
AND AT ORAKAU ON THE 31st MARCH 1st AND 2nd APRIL 1864

I SAY UNTO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

  Birth Notes:

Recorded as Mountrath & Castletown Station.

  Death Notes:

Recorded as having died in Pinecreek, Carnavon, Rangitikei.

Cornelius married Elizabeth Fraser, daughter of Duncan Fraser and Marjory Fraser, in 1848 in Wellington, , , New Zealand. (Elizabeth Fraser was born in 1828 in Corran, Argyll, Scotland, United Kingdom and died on 10 Nov 1904 in Palmerston North, , , New Zealand.)