Plans are well in hand for the publication of a book, to be written by local historian and author Kaye Dragicevich, recording the story of Kaitaia's war memorial, erected in 1916, and the relationship between Maori, Pakeha and others in the community.
One of the prime instigators, Vietnam veteran Ray Beatson, said the book would be of significant historical, cultural and heritage value, locally and nationally.
It was envisaged that it would provide a record of the the Mangonui County communities - Awanui, Fairburn, Herekino-Whangape, Houhora-Waiharara, Kaingaroa, Kaitaia, Mangonui, Peria, Pukepoto, Pukepoto-Ahipara, Takahue, Te Kao and Victoria Valley - over the period leading up to and including 1914-1918, along with contemporary information.
It was planned to publish before November 11 next year, the centenary of the armistice that brought World War I to an end.
One thing that is lacking, however, is photographs of many of those communities' fallen soldiers. Richie Taaffe, another of Kaitaia's Vietnam veterans, said he hoped marae would be able to provide at least some, but there were still a lot of gaps.
