Edward and Joseph Douglas, both of the 28th Maori Battalion were killed on the same day, in the same unit and in the same action.

[William Douglas]

Edward and Joseph Douglas, both of the 28th Maori Battalion were killed on the same day, in the same unit and in the same action. Another tragic case of brothers dying together:

20 April 1943. Sergeant Rogers gathered his men in a little hollow preparatory to creating the diversion that would assist D Company, 28th New Zealand (Maori) Battalion, to attack Takrouna[Amrit: in Tunisia] from the rear. He found that he had ten men including himself and divided them into two parties: one he commanded and the other was under Sergeant Manahi, but before the operation began he received reinforcements—Sergeant W. J. Smith of 23 Battalion and Private Takurua from D Company, both of whom had lost their companies and had attached themselves to his party.

Sergeant Rogers had with him (as far as can be traced) Lance-Corporal H. Ruha, Privates E. Douglas, J. Douglas, W. Ratahi and Takurua, and the pakeha Sergeant Smith, while Manahi's ‘force’ consisted of Privates H. Grant, J. Ingram, K. Aranui and J. Takiwa....

....When the enemy realised that his observation post on Takrouna was lost, both the pinnacle and the ledge were subjected to fire of all types. It was kept up almost continuously during the day, and the events which follow must be pictured as occurring under a constant deluge of mortar and other shells. All the garrison found targets in Takrouna village and viciniy; Private Takurua found an enemy 2-inch mortar and six bombs which he delivered to the village, and Corporal Ruha, ensconced on the cupola of the mosque, picked out two of our captured 25-pounders and with his rifle prevented them not only from firing but also from being withdrawn to a safer position.

Casualties, however, were mounting. Privates Ingram, Ratahi, and Moore were all killed by one shell, and soon afterwards another killed Sergeant Rogers and Private E. Douglas and wounded his brother, J. Douglas. The last was also killed later in the fighting.

They were the sons of John and Adeline Douglas, of Ngongotaha, Auckland, New Zealand. Their graves are in Enfidaville War Cemetery. Enfidaville is 100 kilometres south of Tunis on the main coast road)