In 1906 young Fred (Frederick Nehu) Naden transplanted a pōhutukawa seedling in front of the family home in Tokomaru Bay. In 1917 at the age of 19 he went off to the First World War where he was wounded but came back to fight through the Battle of Passchendaele in which he was awarded the Military Medal. He was a runner whose typical survival rate at the time was 4 days.

On his return to New Zealand after being part of the victory force in Germany with the Auckland Regiment followed by a period in hospital in England Fred vowed on his return never again to leave Tokomaru Bay. Prior to the war he had been employed in the Auditor-General's office in Wellington and was looking forward to a career in law or commerce but on his return he resigned his position and returned to Tokomaru Bay. He found solace in the company of the thirty or so veterans of Tokomaru Bay at the local tavern who help