Paul O'Connor is Head of History at Burnside High School in Christchurch, New Zealand. This project was the result of a New Zealand Science, Mathematics and Technology Teacher Fellowship granted in 2005 by the Royal Society. He was based at the School of History at the University of Canterbury for the year. Several of his university colleagues, especially Professor John Cookson, assisted him with this project.
This project grew out of a reseach assignment called "Bringing Him Back to Life" by Year 12 history students at Burnside High School. This assignment required students to select one soldier from the war memorial at Harewood School and research that soldier's life and wartime service. He believes that local history studies can illuminate national and international historical events.
Paul is grateful to the Royal Society and the School of History at the University of Canterbury, as well as various community organisations and descendants of these soldiers who showed an interest and shared information, to enable him to complete this project.