It started off as a way of finding out a little more about his ancestor’s actions in the Second World War.

But what began as a school history project turned into something far more revealing and meaningful for 13-year-old Kian Mooney and his family.

Not only did the Saltus Grammar School student pick up top prize in his year for the project, but he also got a special mention in the UK-based Java Journal publication that details information about prisoners of war.

Kian started work on the project earlier this spring and quickly focused his efforts on the life of his great-uncle, Harold Leonard Wood, who died of malnutrition in March 1943 at a prisoner-of-war camp in Ballalae, in the Solomon Islands.

The Royal Artillery soldier had been captured while at sea and was one of about 500 servicemen that built the Ballalae airstrip in horrendous conditions.

“His was the most interesting story,” Kian said. “But my grandmother, Jean Harwood, was also able to help me with her memories of her brother.

“She was also a subscriber to the Java Journal and they were able to provide me with lots of information about Harold as well.”

Kian worked on the project for a few months and with the help of his grandmother and the Java Journal he was able to put together a two-page account of his great-uncle’s life.

“It made me realise just how patriotic and heroic this man had been,” Kian said. “I also found out how hard it was for him in a POW camp at that times.

“They lived in really tough conditions and many like my great-uncle never made it out.”

Kian was awarded top prize for year for his history project just before school broke up for the summer holiday.

“It was an amazing feeling because I put a lot of work into it,” he said. “When I told my grandmother she was also very proud of what I had done. She was really excited for me.

“I was always interested in the first and second world wars, but this has really sparked a new interest and I’m looking to study history at GCSE now.”