Marriage and Post War
While serving in the land wars, Biddle married a Māori woman called Mauri Poiakino (Pakohai) who was of Tuhoe and Ngati Pahauwera origins. Mauri accompanied her husband on a number of his military missions, acting as both a guide and cook.
Following the land wars, Biddle and Mauri had a large family and lived in Wainui in the Bay of Plenty, an odd location as Ben's arch nemesis, Te Kooti, resided and built built his marae there. One of Biddle's sons, Robert 'Rapata' Biddle, become a minister and secretary within the Ringatu Church, set up by Te Kooti. Robert Biddle also designed the Ringatu crest or logo in 1926. (Binney, 1995:421).
Although Ben Biddle found himself at odds with some of his superior officers and faced a court martial on one occasion, he got his own back by naming his most troublesome bullock "Lambert" after his equally troublesome former officer, Colonel Lambert. (Cowan 1935:224).
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Famous quotes containing the words marriage, post and/or war:
“In marriage there are no manners to keep up, and beneath the wildest accusations no real criticism. Each is familiar with that ancient child in the other who may erupt again.... We are not ridiculous to ourselves. We are ageless. That is the luxury of the wedding ring.”
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“Fear death?—to feel the fog in my throat,
The mist in my face,
When the snows begin, and the blasts denote
I am nearing the place,
The power of the night, the press of the storm,
The post of the foe;
Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form,
Yet the strong man must go:”
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