Gustavus von Tempsky

Born into a military family, von Tempsky left Europe for a Prussian settlement on the Mosquito Coast in Central America in 1846. He travelled to the California goldfields in 1850 but did not strike it rich. He wrote a book about his journey back to the Prussian colony, Mitla, which was published in England. He married an English woman upon his return.

Following the collapse of the Mosquito Coast colony von Tempsky travelled to the Australian goldfields around Bendigo. From there he travelled to New Zealand in 1852, settling on the Coromandel, as a goldminer and newspaper correspondant.

Upon the outbreak of war in 1863 von Tempsky joined the Forest Rangers, an irregular force intended to take the war into the forests. He quickly became a renowned leader, and saw action in the Waikato, Wanganui[?] and Taranaki districts. His Maori adverseries dubbed him 'Manurau' or 'the bird that flits everywhere'. He painted a series of watercolours depicting some of his campaigns.

By 1868 von Tempsky was a Major in the colonial armed constabulary. He took part in the attack on Titokowaru's village at Te Ngutu o te Manu. He fell there, alongside many of his men.