Harry Holden (94), of Wellington, and great-niece Harriet McDonald share a connection to unrest in Egypt.
Mr Holden served with the army in both Egypt and Italy during World War 2, as a signalman for the Fourth Field Artillery Regiment while Miss McDonald's partner Cameron Baker (24) is in Egypt with the New Zealand Army, as a multi-national force observer, on behalf of the United Nations.
Both Mr Holden and Miss McDonald were at a family reunion in Port Chalmers over the weekend and spent time discussing their connection.
"It kind of makes you quite proud, because of what my partner and great uncle have done for us,'' Miss McDonald said.
"Cam thought he [Mr Holden] was so cool. I think they might have talked about Egypt.''
Mr Baker had been in the army for five years and in Egypt for the past six months.
"I love our family. We're a pretty awesome family, as far as knowing the wider family. I always look forward to these things,'' she said.
Mr Holden said he would attend the dawn service in Dunedin today, along with Miss McDonald, although he was not particularly looking forward to it.
"War is something that is not that great to look back on.
"I wouldn't say I particularly enjoy it but I think it's something that needs to be remembered,'' Mr Holden said.
He had some memories of World War 2 that he did not like to remember often.
"The most significant, really, was Cassino itself, which was as bad an experience that any of us ever had.
"We saw friends die, bombs coming in.
"After we had had a real battering from shells for weeks ... to see the [Allied] bombers going over was something we enjoyed.''
Forty-seven people attended the Holden family reunion.
Just one descendant, Maureen Love, lives in Port Chalmers now, compared with about 50 at the family's peak in the 1940s and 1950s.
A plaque and a Holden family headstone were unveiled at the Port Chalmers cemetery yesterday.
