Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Maori War pair awarded to Private John Gillander who served with Major Von Temsky’s Forest Rangers, a forerunner of today’s special forces

New Zealand 1845-66, undated reverse but showing ghost dates ‘1861 to 1866’ (Pte. John Gillander, “Forest Rangers”) naming re-engraved but probably as issued; together with a bronze New Zealand Veteran’s Cross, an original portrait photograph of the recipient wearing both medals, a contemporary pen and ink map of Taranaki showing troop dispositions, and a news cutting, good very fine (2)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Important Collection of Awards to the SAS and Special Forces.

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The following obituary appeared in The New Zealand Herald on 16 September, 1934:

‘A veteran of the Maori War and believed to be the last of the famous Forest Rangers of Von Temsky, for whom he at one period served as orderly, Mr. John Gillander, died yesterday at his residence, 40 Carlton Gore Road, Grafton, at the age of 86 years.

Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, of Scottish parentage, he arrived in New Zealand in 1856, landing with his parents at Auckland. After farming at Waipu for a few years, they settled in Auckland. As a young man, Mr. Gillander enlisted in “Pitt’s Four Hundred,” a body of Militia raised fro service in the Waikato. Captain Stack’s Company, to which he belonged, and a detachment of the 18th Regiment, were stationed at Ring’s Redoubt, and were engaged in patrolling the country between Otahuhu and Drury until their removal to Whangamarino Redoubt, near Meremere, during the operations of General Cameron, which culminated in the memorable fight at Rangiriri.

On his discharge from Pitt’s Militia, Mr. Gillander joined Von Temsky’s Forest Rangers, who formed part of the force under General Sir Trevor Chute, in his historic eight days’ march round Mount Egmont through heavy and trackless bush. Provisions ran short and three pack horses were killed for food. Several actions were fought on the march, the most important being that at Otapawa. Owing to a temporary cessation of hostilities the troops returned to Wanganui, while the Forest Rangers were transferred to the Waikato as military settlers at Harapipi, each man being given 50 acres and a town lot.

Mr. Gillander, however, sold his property, and, as hostilities had broken out again in Taranaki, under the noted Titokowaru, he re-enlisted at Wellington in No. 5 Division of the Armed Constabulary under his old leader, Von Temsky, whose orderly he became. They proceeded to Waihi, a redoubt in the Taranaki district, and were very soon involved in the heavy fighting that ensued, both at the relief of the little garrison of Turituri, Mokai, and subsequently in the second attack on the bush stronghold of Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu, where Von Temsky was killed.

In the retreat which followed, Mr. Gillander was one of the rearguard desperately fighting to cover the withdrawal of the wounded through dense forest during the night. The survivors eventually reached Waihi Redoubt at daylight in an exhausted condition. Mr. Gillander shortly afterwards retired from military life, and, after a few years spent on the goldfields at Hokitika, West Coast, and in various pursuits in Australia, he settled in Auckland.