Handwritten notes mention an Alan Thomas (Tommy) Lewis and references to Crete - where 1800 New Zealand soldiers were captured by the Nazis in May 1941.
Dog tags and documentation also mention Stalag VIIIB, an infamous POW camp near the small Polish town of Lamsdorf.
In January 1945, as the Soviet armies were advancing on Germany, thousands of POWs were force-marched westwards through Europe for hundreds of kilometres in freezing winter conditions.
A document found at the restaurant suggests Lewis was forced to walk 1000km in 100 days. On his return to New Zealand in early August 1945, he was treated for frostbite at Burwood Hospital in Christchurch.
Military documents for Alan Thomas Lewis, with service number 8609, say he was a driver for the New Zealand 2nd Division Supply Column.
It also confirms that Lewis - who came from Hari Hari on the West Coast and lists his mother's address as being the Hari Hari Hotel - was captured at Crete.
Thompson says his post is yet to find the owner but it has provoked some helpful responses.
A handwritten note included in the bag, which says, "Terry Brown - Territorial medal waiting on dog tags and other data before framing", led one poster to suggest approaching Mt Eden photo restoration shop.
"We've had some interesting responses and really hopeful of finding the owners who must be missing them greatly," said Thompson, who has also contacted Auckland War Memorial Museum.
The restaurateur doesn't want his establishment named but it's believed the bag was left behind in the last few days.
Anyone with information about the collection, email kurt.bayer@nzherald.co.nz and details will be forwarded to Thompson.
