Colour Sergeant John Lucas,
40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot (later part of the
South Lancashire Regiment – The Prince of Wales's Volunteers), was approximately 35 years old: The action was part of the
First Taranaki War during the
New Zealand Wars. This campaign started over a disputed land sale at
Waitara. In December 1860 British forces under Major General
Thomas Simson Pratt carried out sapping operations against a major Māori defensive line called Te Arei ("The barrier") on the west side of the
Waitara River and inland from Waitara, which was barring the way to the historic hill pā of Pukewairangi. The 18 March was the last day before a truce was declared. ==Later career and life==