A New Zealand Medal to No. 642, Private Henry Black, 68th Regiment of Foot. (The 68th Foot was later to become the 1st Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry.)
In December 1857, the Regiment left for India, arriving at Rangoon on 30 March 1858. While in Burma it was to rotate three of four companies at Myede and Thayetmyo with the rest in Rangoon.
Control of India passed from the East India Company to The Crown on 1 November, however nothing was to change immediately for the Regiment, its uneventful time in Burma passed with sports and the first of a series of Regimental journals.
In August 1863 the Regiment was in line to return to Britain when the Governor of New Zealand requested reinforcements to deal with a new outbreak of hostilities with the Māoris. During October and November the Regiment embarked on three ships from Rangoon with a strength of 974 officers and men. The three ships arrived in Auckland in mid January 1864, almost immediately detachments were sent to Tauranga, Rangariri and Maketu after exchanging their red tunics for blue.
In April the Māoris of Te Ranga returned from the interior after assisting the Waikatos and began to reoccupy pās in the area, including two on the neck of a peninsula housing the Te Papa mission in Tauranga Harbour. The 68th were concentrated in Auckland and sent to reinforce Tauranga accompanied by detachments from other regiments, arriving on 21 April. Two redoubts were built at Tauranga, Monmouth redoubt by the 43rd Regiment and Durham redoubt by the 68th, the latter's location commemorated by 'Durham Street' in the city today.
The commanding officer Maj. General Cameron wanted the Māori pās quickly reduced, so on the evening of 28 April some 720 men of the 68th crossed to the rear of the Māori line via the mud flats of the harbour and deployed around the neck of the peninsula. At the same time another 700 men of the 43rd Regiment and naval brigade, along with artillery pieces, prepared to assault from the front.
At 7 the next morning a bombardment began with five guns and eight mortars. At about 4 in the evening a storming force of ~300 men, part 43rd Regiment, part naval brigade attacked. The companies of the 68th forced a body of Māoris back into the pā at around 5 o'clock, and in a turn of events that is still unclear the attacking force was then routed from the pā. The 68th spent the night in their position at the rear of the pā, but were unable to form a close enough cordon to prevent the Māoris escaping. Click here for a longer article about the Battle of Gate Pa.
Battle of Te Ranga For six weeks the 68th and the other forces remained in the area around Te Papa, patrolling, with orders to prevent pās being established. On 21 June, after days of reports of movements of bodies of armed Māoris, a patrol of ~600 men from the 68th, 43rd and a local Regiment, 1st Waikato Militia, led by Lt. Colonel Greer of the 68th, found a similarly sized body preparing rifle pits across a ridge some three miles from Te Papa. Greer sent for reinforcements, and for two hours until they arrived kept the Māoris pinned down, then assaulted the position. The rifle pits were taken at a cost to the 68th of 5 killed and 24 wounded, Sgt. Murrey was to be awarded the Victoria Cross. The next day a burial detail from the 68th interred 109 of the dead at the rifle pits.
The 68th remained in Te Papa until February 1865 when a detachment, 240 men strong, was sent to Wanganui, when fighting flared up there. By now resentment was growing between the Regular Army soldiers and the local militias, and between their leaders, Cameron and Grey, over the use of the Army to expand the colonists lands. The regiment remained split until both parts moved to Auckland in February 1866, and left New Zealand in March, reaching Portsmouth between mid June and early July. During March 179 men took their discharge and remained in New Zealand.
Discharge Papers of Henry Black
Private Black was also issued an Indian Mutiny Medal with "Lucknow" bar for his previous service with the 84th Foot. (Current location of medal unknown.)
Nothing more is known of the life of Henry Black following his discharge from the 68th Foot in July of 1866.