Historian and author Don Mackay completed The Troopers' Tale: The History of The Otago Mounted Rifles last month and brought three advance copies to an informal OMR gathering at the Mosgiel RSA on Thursday.
The meeting of surviving members of the OMR came a year after the Otago Mounted Rifles Regimental Association made the difficult decision to hold their final official reunion last year.
Eight surviving members signed the book, which tells some of the stories taken from the regiment's history which spans from 1864 to 1956.
Dr Mackay, who wrote six of the book's 12 chapters and had editorial control of the project, said it was "special" being able to show the book to some of the surviving members of the OMR.
"It's very important because these are the last men of the OMR and it's important for them to see it before it's too late."
The book had taken him a little longer to finish than he first thought after starting it four years ago.
"One of the old codgers told me about six months ago, 'Your book's no good, mate,' and I said, 'Why not?' And he said, 'Because I'll be dead before it's out'."
Fortunately, the "old codger" who made the comments was still alive and would be able to see a copy.
Dr Mackay would give some of the other surviving members of the OMR the opportunity to sign it before sending it away to the New Zealand Defence Force's provincial reconstruction team base in Bamiyan.
Soldiers serving in Afghanistan will be given the opportunity to sign the books and it is hoped the three books will be returned to New Zealand at the end of the mission to Afghanistan.
The books would then be presented to the National Army Museum at Waiouru, Defence Force Headquarters Library in Wellington and the Kensington Army Hall History Room in Dunedin.
