Great-granddaddy, I have finally found you. I bring with me the love and respect of myself, my 7 children and 2 grandchildren and lay a single poppy for us all.

I remember as a child, mum would always tell tales of her granddad from The War, and she would sing that song of the Bismarck and the Hood.

Thank you for your sacrifice so we may enjoy our freedoms.

Love you
Tania

My Grandfather ( Edward John Edwards } died in 1952 when I was about 4/5, so my memories are quite vague. I do remember specific incidences of my time with him, but it does not include a whakapapa of any kind. My maternal grandmother was divorced from him long before I was born, and my mother never filled any gaps, so his memory was not kept alive and any knowledge of him withered, apart from what I can remember as a 4 y.o. As there are no other Edward John Edwards recorded in returned services records, so I have to assume that this man is the Grandfather I never got to know anything about. I do believe he left land to my mother somewhere between Whangarei and Dargaville, which would make him linked to Ngati Hine. I also believe he had links to Ngati Whatua, but this is unconfirmed. I do have in my possession a photograph taken of him, my Grandmother, and my mothers sister as a baby,