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Bill Henry "Willie" Apiata (born 28 June 1972) is a former corporal in the New Zealand Special Air Service, who became the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand. He received the award on 2 July 2007 for bravery under fire during the Afghanistan conflict in 2004, in which he carried a gravely wounded comrade across a battlefield, under fire, to safety. Apiata is the only recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand, as opposed to the Victoria Cross previously awarded. There are no living New Zealand recipients of the Victoria Cross, which was last awarded to a New Zealander for actions in the Second World War. Between 1864 and 1943, 21 members of the New Zealand forces were awarded the Victoria Cross including Captain Charles Upham, awarded a Bar to the Victoria Cross in 1945 for gallantry in Egypt in 1942.〔Glyn Harper and Colin Richardson. ''In the face of the enemy: the complete history of the Victoria Cross and New Zealand'', 2006, HarperCollins Publishers (NZ), ISBN 978-1-86950-522-6.〕 Apiata has donated all of his medals, including his VC, to New Zealand.〔(Apiata has gifted his VC to NZ SAS Trust ), victoriacross.org.uk, 24 April 2008.〕 In 2008 he succeeded Sir Edmund Hillary as the "most trusted New Zealander". ==Early life== Apiata was born in Mangakino, New Zealand.〔( "Willie Apiata – humble Kiwi hero" at NewZealand.com ); retrieved 2012-12-16.〕 His father is Maori and his mother is Pakeha.〔( "Who is Willie Apiata?" at TangataWhenua.com ); retrieved 2012-12-17.〕 His parents separated, and he has not had contact with his father for several years. His early childhood was spent at Waima in Northland before the family moved to Te Kaha when he was seven. He attended Te Whanau-a-Apanui Area School in Te Kaha, which he left at the age of 15.〔 Apiata affiliates to the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe) through his father, but also has a very strong affiliation to Te Whānau-ā-Apanui (the iwi of his partner) from his time in the eastern Bay of Plenty. Apiata's home marae are Tukaki Marae at Te Kaha and Ngati Kawa Marae at Oromahoe, just south of Kerikeri.〔 He is separated from his partner, the mother of their son born in 2003. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Willie Apiata」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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