81502 Private Lako Piru, Cook Islands Contingent

[corisande]

This article on BBC caught my eye. Shows the extent of both WW1 and the British Empire. The correspondent was on Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. I was there a few years ago and it is one of the most remote places on earth, and indeed most beautiful as well. The full article is

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23815685

The bit covering this soldier is

There's an inscription on the headstone: "Great War Veteran, 81502 Private Lako Piru, Cook Islands Contingent, died 9th June 1920". A cross is etched in the stone and below it two more words: "Aged Nineteen".

World War I ended in 1918 so this young man must have been well under-age when he volunteered to fight for the British Empire. His roadside grave couldn't be more remote from the killing fields where he might have fought - Gallipoli in modern Turkey, Mesopotamia (now Iraq), or even a muddy trench on the Western Front in France.

I had a quick look to see if I could get any more on him, but did not succeed. Anyone with more perseverance care to add it here.

[kenmorrison]

He is listed on the Cook Islands Roll of Honour boards at

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/cook-islands-roll-honour-boards

as part of the 4th Contingent (3rd from end 1st Column)

The board reads

Sailed from Rarotonga 18 June 1918. In camp New Zealand. Did not proceed overseas.

[kenmorrison]

His service number is 84502

[corisande]

Nice find that Cook Islands Honour Board.

Amazing how many men a small country like the Cook Islands sent to fight

[pukman]

The Cook Island company manned the lighters(barges) in Egypt and Palestine in WW1 . They had their own badge ,but it probably wasn't issued or worn in WW1

Cheers Iain