John McGlashan College pupil Nate Wisnesky was unexpectedly given his great-grandfather's medals at the Mosgiel RSA on Saturday, by Commander Keith Wisnesky of Rotorua.
Two and a-half weeks before Anzac Day, Cdr Wisnesky travelled south specifically to present Nate (13) with the medals, arranging the surprise with the help of his brother Alastair, Nate's grandfather.
Nate said he was "really honoured'' to have his great-grandfather's medals.
"It was a wee bit of a surprise. I'm learning more about [his role in the war] now.''
If other families adopted the idea, he thought it would be "really special'' for them too.
Nate's cousin Jonty Allan (11) was presented with a photo album belonging to their great-grandfather Sergeant Alexander Wisnesky, who was in the Railway Operating Group in the Middle East, in the early 1940s.
Cdr Wisnesky said the group moved goods, petrol and ammunition, and had a different "ethos'' to the military itself, since it was comprised of railway workers rather than soldiers.
Nate would be wearing the medals at the Mosgiel Dawn Service on Anzac Day and had also been invited to march at the head of the Dawn Parade.
Alastair Wisnesky said Nate was now the "custodian'' of the medals and he hoped the gesture might help set off a chain reaction .
"It was a very proud moment.''
Mosgiel RSA president Tony Mobbs said the ceremony was "great'' and "well-done''.
If other families wanted to do a similar thing, the Mosgiel RSA was "more than happy'' to help them out, Mr Mobbs said.
"It's good to see the medals actually handed down to younger generations. A lot of them just get mothballed and put away.''
Cdr Wisnesky and Mr Wisnesky said they wanted to keep the medals in the family and they wanted the younger generation to recognise their significance.
The medals were about sacrifice and the role the armed forces played in the development of the country, Cdr Wisnesky said.
"It was a real pleasure to pass on our father's medals to our great-grandchildren.''
