Tom was my great-great uncle who I've only ever known about through stories passed down by my mum and her family. Ever since I was little, every time we have gone to the museum I have said hello to him on the wall and paid my respects but I've never really known who he was or much about him. That changed this year. I'm doing NCEA this year and one of my history internals is on the Influenza pandemic (I've just found out his little sister died), whilst my friend is doing the Battle of Somme. So in order to help her, I have learnt some more about him. The deeper I go and the more I learn, the more I feel like I can connect with him, the more he feels like my family. He is no longer just a man I've been told about, no, he is my great-great uncle Tommy who died too young and sacrificed too much. Nonetheless, I am proud of him and proud to be related to him. I will help keep his memory alive.

Tommy was my maternal Grandmothers (Vera) older brother. Although it feels such a long time ago, I remember growing up whereby she spoke of him often. She had beautifully embroidered cards sent home from him during the war. I remember uncle Abby visiting, and we were close to uncle David who was the baby brother in the family. I now live just around the corner from MacDonald street and walk around there at times and know I'm passing through spaces that he/they passed.

Tommy was my father's (William John McDonald) eldest brother. I am at present working to save St David's Soldiers Memorial Church on Khyber Pass in Auckland. It was built as a memorial to all those who served in World War I. In a small way, I feel I am doing this for "Uncle Tommy", someone who was so very special to my father, who lost his eldest brother when he was only 8 years old.