Te Rangiātaahua Kiniwē Royal (1896–1965) was a notable New Zealand tribal leader, land officer, Māori welfare officer, soldier, and sportsman. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Tamaterā iwi. He was born in Muhunoa, Manawatū, New Zealand, in 1896.

During the Battle of Crete, leading two companies of the Māori Battalion, he overran the advance of the I Battalion, 141st Gebirgsjäger Regiment allowing the 5th New Zealand Brigade to escape. Once everyone was safe, he led a retreat 24 miles (39 km), allowing only two men to be killed, and eight wounded, all of whom were recovered.

Rangi Royal

In the 1964 New Year Honours, Royal was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the Māori people.

Rangi Royal

References

Further reading

1896 births

1965 deaths

New Zealand Māori sportspeople

New Zealand Army personnel

Ngāti Raukawa people

Ngāti Tamaterā people

New Zealand Māori public servants

New Zealand Māori soldiers

People educated at Thames High School

New Zealand recipients of the Military Cross

New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire

New Zealand military personnel of World War II

Rangi Royal