Decorated bomber pilot Leicester Kingsbury was shot down over Berlin near the end of Word War II. Now part of the parachute that saved his life has been reunited with his family after more than 60 years apart.
The story began on New Year's Day 1944 when Christchurch-born Flight Lieutenant Leicester Kingsbury, DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) and his crew from No 7 Pathfinder Squadron Royal Air Force (RAF) boarded their Lancaster bomber and took off on a night raid on Berlin.
Their aircraft was shot down over Germany with Mr Kingsbury breaking his leg after jumping out of the stricken bomber with his trusty parachute and he was taken as a prisoner of war.
Fast forward to 1954 and a young Rotorua man Dave Field and his family moved into a Forest Service house in the small township of Erua, south of National Park.
Mr Field's father found a strap belonging to a parachute harness with the name Leicester Kingsbury written on it.
Not knowing what significance it held, the Field family kept the strap and by chance, during a conversation with his friend Colin Bassett just a few months ago, Mr Field mentioned he had lived in Erua in the 1950s.
Mr Bassett, former director of research at Scion in Rotorua (the old Forest Research Institute) asked if he knew one Leicester Kingsbury, as Mr Bassett said he made a strong mark on him as a young man when the pair worked together for a year in the late 1940s, and Mr Kingsbury had lived in the same township.
Mr Field said they moved into the house just after the Kingsbury family had left and they had found part of his parachute harness.
To cut a long story short, Mr Bassett put Mr Field in touch with Mr Kingsbury's grandson Jono Ryan, now living in Hamilton.
Yesterday, Mr Field, Mr Bassett and Mr Kingsbury's daughter Susan Ryan, son-in-law Graham Ryan and grandson Jono Ryan met for the first time at Mr Field's home in Ngongotaha.
"Since I found out about Leicester and after getting in touch with Jono I have been waiting to give this back to him," Mr Field said.
"It was exciting to find out about their connection, it's a wonderful story and I couldn't wait to hand it back.
"It's a real coincidence and great timing we could get them here today."
Mrs Ryan said the family was excited to get the strap back.
"We're very thankful to Dave for holding on to it for so long," she said.
"It's hard to believe it's in such good condition after so many years."
Coincidentally, Jono Ryan was born on the same day as his grandfather - May 25 - and has his grandfather's war medals.
He said he enjoyed hearing stories about his grandfather, who died when he was 12, from Mr Bassett.