Social anthropology master's student William Anderson (24) is studying the experiences of New Zealanders who served as private soldiers in African civil conflicts from 1960 to 1985.
Little was known about the role of private soldiers during this period, and even less from a New Zealand perspective.
''Why can't I read about the experiences of New Zealand foreign soldiers who fight in a private capacity?'' he asked.
At a time many African nations were fighting bloody civil wars after
farewelling their colonial overlords, there were quite a few hot spots where New Zealand soldiers could have been engaged.
South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia were among possible sites of engagement.
With the help of New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Anderson has gained security clearance to view British diplomatic cables of the period.
He was struck by how similar in tone they were to the more recent cables that caused a sensation worldwide after being published by the website Wikileaks.
While Mr Anderson does not like the ''politically, culturally and socially loaded'' term ''mercenary'', diplomats discussed the problem of mercenary soldiers with consternation.
Their concerns related to soldiers' activities compromising relations between Britain and newly independent states.
Some conflicts were proxy Cold War flare-ups, which further vexed diplomats.
Diplomats questioned how the soldiers could be regulated and controlled, and whether they should be helped when they got into trouble.
At that time, Africa was a ''melting pot'' of foreign soldiers, who inhabited an ''ambiguous, uncertain state''.
Mr Anderson is keen to find the individual human stories to flesh out the political narrative revealed in the cables.
''We live in a world of shadows. Certain people, places and events are in the shadows.''
Soldiers' identities would be protected in his thesis.
Mr Anderson has advertised for former soldiers to come forward. He declined to say how many had done so.
