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412909 : Sgt. Nepia STEWART.
WIFE : Mrs. Moewai Stewart of Manutuke and one son.
(Four children by a former marriage)
Nepia Stewart was born at Gisborne on October 2nd 1911. He was educated at Manutuke and at Gisborne High School. After (redacted the) leaving school, he entered the Carpentry Trade and was employed by the Maori Land Board at Gisborne. He also served in the Wellington East Coast Mounted Rifles.

He applied for enlistment as an Air Gunner early in 1940, was accepted and after completing his pre-entry training was mobilised at Levin in May 1941. On July 22nd, he embarked for Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme and was posted to No. 1 Wireless School and No. 3 Bombing & Gunnery School where he became a qualified Wireless Operator Air Gunner (WOAG) and was promoted to Sergeant.

Returning to New Zealand in June 1942, he was posted to No. 8 General Reconnaissance Squadron at Gisborne. Here as a Wireless Operator Rear Gunner of Vincent aircraft, he took part in cross country flights, patrols, convoy escort and army co-operation exercises. On December 8th 1942, Sgt. Stewart was the WOAG in a Vincent which took off from Gisborne on an operational search for an unidentified merchant vessel. The aircraft failed to return and the crew of three, F/O H. Kinder, F/O C.N. Turnbull and Sgt. Stewart were presumed missing believed killed.

Find a Grave links with photos of Sgt. Stewart:
1. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121162121/nepia-stewart/photo
2. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/230556530/nepia-teaturangi-stewart
Auckland Museum link with more info on Sgt. Stewart: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C23011?n=nepia+stewart&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/15/1606
146 hrs. as WOAG.

Mrs. M. Stewart (W) (right aligned)
Manutuke (right aligned)
GISBORNE (right aligned & underlined)