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Police are trying to track down relatives of a Far North soldier after his World War 1 medals were discovered during a search in Christchurch.
Detective Sergeant Jason Hunuki said officers found Private Victor Powell's medals while they were executing a search warrant on an unrelated matter.
With the help of the organisation Medals Reunited New Zealand, police found out that Powell was born in 1892 in the Far North and enlisted in 1916.
He was sent to Egypt with the 12th Reinforcements as part of the 1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, and later killed in action in France.
He was just 25 years old.
Powell's name is inscribed on the Herekino War Memorial in a remote part of the Far North's west coast.
He was also remembered in the Hall of Memories at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Hunuki said police want to return the medals to Powell's relatives.
He said the medals were an important part of New Zealand history - but they would mean even more to Powell's family.
If his family could not be found, the medals would be sent to the National Army Museum in Waiouru.
It was not clear how the medals ended up in Christchurch, almost at the other end of the country.
Anyone who is related to Powell, or knows someone who is, should contact Medals Reunited New Zealand.
