Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Murphy Hopa, whose full name was Horomona Mouhe Hopa (known as Murphy) was born at Temuka, on 4 May 1899, it seems. He was the son of Emma Lea Cosgrove (Cossgrove) formerly Hopa. He was, in fact, the son (possibly the third son) of Hare (Henry, Harry) and Emma Lea (née Reynolds, later Cossgrove) Hopa. Hare and Emma, who had married about 1892-93, had six known sons and two daughters. Harry Hopa was in the Waimakariri district in 1891. The Otago Daily Times of 22 August 1906 reported: — Some time ago a Maori named Hare Hopa met with an accident while cutting wood whereby he lost the sight of an eye. In course of time his other eye gave way, and he became almost totally blind. A movement was set afoot in Tuahiwi to raise a fund to send him to a specialist at Dunedin, and eventually arrangements were made to have Hare Hopa admitted to the Dunedin Hospital for treatment. Hopa is now discharged, able to find his way about, and even to read. He was 105 days in hospital. Hare died on 8 October 1912 at Tuahiwi, Waimakariri, Canterbury, aged 63 years, and was buried at Tuahiwi. Hare and Emma lived at Temuka for many years until just before his death. It was in Apil 1911 and 1912 that the younger children were admitted to Tuawihi School. Emma married Osbert Lamond Cossgrove in 1914 and thereafter lived at Tuahiwi in the Waimakariri District.

Between 19 and 25 February 1916, thirty-seven men had registered and presented themselves for medical examination in the Kaiapoi area, among them Murphy Hopa, Tuahiwi, for the Maori Contingent. Medically examined at Narrow Neck on 22 February 1916, he stood at 5 feet 6½ inches, weighed 142 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 32-35 inches, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. Free from diseases, vaccinated, and in good bodily and mental health, he was declared fit. Murphy commenced duty on 28 February 1916, when he enlisted at Narrow Neck and joined the 4th Maori Reinforcements, at just 16 years of age. His year of birth was not stated on Attestation, his declared age 20 years. A labourer at Tuahiwi, single and of Church of England affiliation, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs Cosgrove, Tuahiwi, Kaiapoi.

Private M. Hopa embarked with the Maori Contingent of the 4th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington per the “Tahiti” on 26 June 1916 and disembarking at Devonport, England on 22 August. Just six days later he left Sling for France and was attached to strength at Etaples on 29 August. Two days later, however, he was admitted to hospital with scabies. Discharged to Base on 4 September, he was again attached to strength at Etaples. Marching out to his Division on 10 September 1916, he joined the Footed Pioneer Battalion the next day. On 23 December 1916 he was wounded in action in the Field and admitted to No. 1 New Zealand Field Ambulance. He rejoined his unit from hospital on 27 December 1916.

Private Hopa went on leave from 17 August 1917 to 1 September. Murphy twice incurred punishments during his service - on 18 September 1917 he was awarded 7 days Field Punishment No. 2 for being outside Corps area without a pass and on 28/31 October 1917 14 days Field Punishment No. 2 for drunkenness. He was admitted to No. 2 New Zealand Field Ambulance on 16 December 1917, suffering from deafness, and to No. 2 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station on 18 December. He was then admitted to the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station in France on 22 December 1917, with Otitis Media, and transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Depot (France) on 28 December. His was not a severe case. Discharged to the Base Depot on 30 December, he was attached to the New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot at Etaples the following day. Marching out to his Division on 25 January 1918, he rejoined the Pioneer Battalion on 26 January. He went on leave to the UK on 17 February 1918, returning to the Field from leave on 7 March. Having been detached to the Divisional Lewis Gun School on 14 July 1918, he rejoined his Battalion on 27 July. He proceeded to the UK on leave on 8 November 1918, rejoining from leave on 29 November. He then embarked for England per the “St George” on 31 January 1919.

Private Murphy Hopa was one of a good number of men of the Maori Pioneer Battalion who returned to New Zealand per S. S. “Westmorland”, embarking at Liverpool on 28 February 1919 and arriving on 9 April. Private M. Hopa, 16/1478, was granted leave from 10 April 1919 to 7 May. He was discharged on 7 May 1919, on the termination of his period of engagement. He was now only 20 years old, and had served 3 years and 69 days, most of this time in France.

Horomona Mouhe Hopa (name as per death registration) died at the Cashmere Military Sanatorium on 23 August 1921, aged 23 years. His death was attributed to his war service and was recognised by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, a services stone marking his grave in the Tuahiwi Maori Cemetery. His medals – British War Medal and Victory Medal - were authorized to go to his mother (1 September 1922), but she had moved from her recorded address. His brother Mr Tane Hopa, Tuahiwi, was written to for her address.

Murphy’s brother Tane Hopa also served in World War One. A younger brother, Arthur Kitchener Hopa, served in World War Two; also, possibly Lawrence Weepu Hopa. Mrs Emma Cossgrove who died at Southbridge in September 1956, excelled in Maori arts and crafts and earned a considerable amount for the Patriotic Society and the Red Cross Society by weaving flax fibre handbags, tea cosies, table mats, and other articles. She was survived by two sons of her first marriage (Arthur Kitchener Hopa, known as Kitchener, and Lawrence Weepu Hopa, known as Webb) and a daughter of the second. Her two daughters of her first marriage (Rachael and Martha) who had died in 1938 and 1920 were buried with their father at Tuahiwi. She was also predeceased by four sons – Tane Hopa (1953), Solomus Hopa, Murphy Hopa (1921) and Frank Hopa (1940), and one daughter Bertha (Cossgrove) Kaan.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [27 June 2014]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ ref. AABK 18805 W5541 0056475) [27 June 2014]; CWGC [27 June 2014]; New Zealand Electronic Text Collection (Cause of Death) [28 June 2014]; Temuka Leader, 4 & 18 January 1906, 22 February 1906, Otago Daily Times, 22 August 1906, 5 January 1917, 12 January 1918, Press, 26 February 1916, 25 September 1956, 3 October 1956, Timaru Herald, 5 January 1917, Wanganui Chronicle, 5 January 1917, Oamaru Mail, 4 January 1917, Ashburton Guardian, 4 January 1917, Sun, 5 January 1917, 29 March 1919, Poverty Bay Herald, 12 January 1918, Star, 24 August 1921, Evening Post, 12 December 1939 (Papers Past) [27 June 2014; 26 September 2015; 20 October 2015; 08 April 2021; 22 October 2022; 29 June 2026]; Tuahiwi Maori Cemetery monumental inscriptions (South Canterbury Branch NZSG Cemetery Records microfiches) [01 July 2014]; Tuahiwi Chief Maori Cemetery, Woodend, Waimakariri District, Canterbury – headstone image

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• HOPA Murphy & Tane - newspaper clippings (pdf, 116.7 KB updated 16-Jul-2026)

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

TS