Ian Newton emailed the Otago Daily Times that he had come across the grave of Private P. Sparrow of the New Zealand Otago Regiment, who had died on April 29, 1918.
Mr Newton said the village (pop 3000) was close to the Somme where, in 1916, 2000 New Zealanders died in battle, and he noted there were many well-maintained Commonwealth war grave cemeteries in the area.
He was intrigued to find Pte Sparrow's grave in the village, alongside the graves of three British soldiers and one Canadian.
Mr Newton said every year, on November 11, a commemorative service was held in the village, with the mayor inviting a resident British couple to lay a wreath on behalf of the British and Commonwealth forces.
"In 2008, we joined residents and local school children as they paraded through the centre of the town with home-made flags representing every country which had sent troops to fight on French soil.
The New Zealand flag was represented."
Mr Newton wondered about Pte Sparrow's family.
"I have no way of knowing whether there are any family descendants of Pte Sparrow who might want to know about his grave and I have no means of tracing them but . . . any descendants may care to know that his grave remains well attended and cared for and that at least one Brit places a poppy on it each November."
Archives New Zealand has confirmed it has a service record for Philip Sparrow and the Otago Daily Times has requested further information.
