Manahi's royal sword gift goes back to Defence Force

A Te Arawa Sword of Gallantry gifted by Queen Elizabeth to the family of the late Haane Manahi is back with the New Zealand Defence Force.
In 1943 Mr Manahi, a member of the 28th Maori Battalion's B Company, was recommended for a Victoria Cross for bravery during the battle of Takrouna Ridge in Tunisia, North Africa.
The award was later mysteriously downgraded to a Distinguished Conduct Medal.
In 2006 it was decided Mr Manahi, who died in a car crash in 1986, would not be awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously despite supporters lobbying the Government.
In March 2007, the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, presented Mr Manahi's sons with a special citation for bravery, an altar frontal cloth, a letter of tribute from the Queen and a sword that had belonged to King George VI in recognition of his bravery.
Yesterday, the sword, which had been passed between the family and the Defence Force and has been on display at the Rotorua Museum for the last few months, was handed over to the New Zealand Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Rhys Jones.
It will remain with the Defence Force.
An agreement between the Te Arawa people and the force sees the sword shared between the two.
The sword is generally kept in possession of the Defence Force but when the Chief of Defence steps down it is handed back to the people while a new chief is appointed.
Last year the sword was handed back to the Manahi family and Te Arawa when former Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae announced he was retiring.
It was put on display in the Rotorua Museum as part of the Ake! Ake! The story of B Company 28 Maori Battalion exhibition.
Yesterday the Manahi family handed the sword over to General Jones at Tametekapua Marae, Ohinemutu, in a special ceremony involving the Defence Force, the Rotorua RSA, Air Training Corps and Te Arawa.
General Jones told the gathering it was a great honour to receive the sword and it would be a great honour to wear it.
Mr Manahi's son, Geoff Manahi, said he didn't mind seeing the sword returned to the Defence Force.
"It keeps the link strong between the defence force and Te Arawa."
He said it also kept the memory of his father alive.
When the sword was first presented to the family in 2007 by Prince Andrew, the prince said Haane Manahi's memory would live on with the sword.
Following yesterday's ceremony the gathering paid tribute at Haane Manahi's grave at Ohinemutu.