Letter to Gustav Guttenbiel

This week during Literacy, we were given a task to write a letter back to one of 4 recipients that we watched on Tagata Pasifika. I chose Gustav Guttenbiel who was a Tongan-German who wanted to fight for the British Empire in WW2 but they wouldn't let him because he was German. He left his wife and children in Tonga when he was sent to be interned at Somes Island, a small island in the Wellington Harbour. Here is the video from Tagata Pasifika about his letter:

Here is my letter that I wrote to send to him if he was still alive.

Ana Crosser

103 Pt England Rd

1072

13/5/15

Malo E Lelei Gustav,

I am writing this letter  to you, to share my thoughts and feelings  about the letter that you wrote to the NZ Government…

I have heard your story and I too agree that sending you to be interned was a great mistake. I think that it was unfair that you had to work hard and train till the day before the boat arrived, they should have let you go at the beginning of the training if they were going to send you to be interned anyway. I am so sorry that they have taken you away from your family and home when all you wanted to do was help defend the British Empire.

I want to thank you for volunteering to fight in the war even though you can’t, thank you for volunteering. If it weren’t for people like you, your home and my home wouldn’t be as it is now. I hope your letter is accepted so you can go home.

Yours Sincerely

Ana Crosser