It's a long way from the far flung beaches of Italy and Greece where his ancestors fought, but scouring Mount Maunganui's coastline for rubbish is taking Dion Keogh a step closer to retracing their footsteps.

Dion, along with 34 other students from Tauranga Boys' College, will embark on a poignant three-week trip to Europe next month, where they will follow the route taken by the 28th Maori Battalion during the Second World War.

Tauranga Boys' College student Dion Keogh is cleaning up the beach between Papamoa Domain and Mauao to raise funds for the Maori Battalion ‘Ta Tumu' Tour 2015. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

The 35 boys are part of the school's Maori leadership program ‘Tama Tu', who have been researching the battalion's history and, more importantly, their ancestors.

The Battalion was one of the most celebrated and decorated units in the history of the New Zealand armed forces.

During the WWII, around 3600 Maori served voluntarily. Some 649 were killed or died on active service and a further 1712 were wounded. The battalion's casualty rate was almost 50 per cent higher than the average for the New Zealand infantry battalions.

Tasked with raising $9100 for the trip, 14-year-old Dion is nearing the final target and decided to raise the last funds by giving back to the community through a beach clean-up.

Between 9am and 5pm today and tomorrow, Dion will be collecting rubbish from the beach and dunes, making his way from Papamoa Domain to Mauao.

'I just wanted to help and give back to the community,” says Dion.

'I use the beach regularly so I want to keep it clean.”

By making the trip to Europe, the Arataki teen hopes to represent his family by paying his respects to his tupuna [ancestors] who fought and died in the Maori Battalion by visiting their gravestones.

Dion's whakapapa include iwi affiliations with; Ngati Toa, Ngati Koata, Ngai Tahu, Te Atiawa and Nga Puhi. His Maori Battalion tupuna are Herbert Elkington, John Arthur Elkington, Martin Keogh, Reuben Taurau Paniora and George Katene.

Since being given the chance last year, Dion has been researching these men along with his family tree.

Adding to the sentimentality is a stone called Argillite, found where Dion's family hails from on D'uville Island in the Marlborough Sounds. It was used for tools and weaponry prior to the use of Greenstone.

Spending the Christmas holidays collecting the stones in the South Island, he is set to polish them and leave one on each gravestone, either in Italy or Greece.

'I just want to give them [his tupuna] something from their home because they didn't have the chance to come back,” he explains.

The Tama Tu Tour leaves on June 26.

If you would like to donate towards Dion's clean-up effort, you can do so through the following bank account: Dion Tama Tu 12 3217 0137722 03.

Donations can also be made through Paypal via his Facebook page: ‘Dion's Clean the Beach Fundraiser'.

For more information on Dion's journey, click here.