Battle of Gate Pā

In 1864 fighting spread to the Tauranga district, where Ngāi Te Rangi built a fortified position known as Gate Pā on a narrow ridge. A British force of about 1,700 men with heavy guns bombarded it on 29 April and then stormed it in the afternoon. The pā had been built with bunkers and trenches that protected the defenders from the guns, and when the British entered they were met with close fire from hidden positions. Many officers were killed and the assault broke down. That night the defenders left the pa, inflicting some of the heaviest British losses of the war.

The battle is known in te reo Māori as Pukehinahina. Historians argue about the details, such as how far the pā's design was aimed at defeating artillery and the exact British losses. The British commander, General Cameron, was criticised for the frontal assault. Weeks later, at Te Ranga, the British won a victory against reinforcements, and Gate Pā was later seen in the light of that fight. The pā's trenches and bunkers, which shielded the defenders from the bombardment, have been compared with later trench defences.