How a World War I French orphan was smuggled to Australia

By Carolyn Webb
Updated June 4 2016 - 1:13pm, first published 1:03pm
Ted Tovell, of Australian Flying Corps 4 Squadron,  (right) with French World War I  orphan Henri Hemene, or Digger, who Ted helped brother Tim Tovell smuggle back to Australia. Pictured at Hurdcott camp in England, in 1919. Photo: Courtesy of David Daws
Ted Tovell, of Australian Flying Corps 4 Squadron, (right) with French World War I orphan Henri Hemene, or Digger, who Ted helped brother Tim Tovell smuggle back to Australia. Pictured at Hurdcott camp in England, in 1919. Photo: Courtesy of David Daws
Tim Tovell (right) and Henri Hemene in a quiet moment on board the ship Kaisar-i-Hind on the voyage from England to Australia, 1919. Photo: supplied
Tim Tovell (right) and Henri Hemene in a quiet moment on board the ship Kaisar-i-Hind on the voyage from England to Australia, 1919. Photo: supplied
Digger (Henri Hemene) in a  miniature tailor-made Australian uniform in London, 1919. Photo: supplied
Digger (Henri Hemene) in a miniature tailor-made Australian uniform in London, 1919. Photo: supplied
Anthony Hill, author of the new book Young Digger, pictured at Fawkner cemetery, Melbourne, at the grave of Henri Hemene Tovell, the French orphan smuggled from Europe by Australian airmen after World War I. Photo: Eddie Jim
Anthony Hill, author of the new book Young Digger, pictured at Fawkner cemetery, Melbourne, at the grave of Henri Hemene Tovell, the French orphan smuggled from Europe by Australian airmen after World War I. Photo: Eddie Jim
Photo taken in northern France in 1919, of Australian 4 Squadron air force mechanic Tim Tovell (right), with French World War I orphan Henri Hemene, on their way to England, then home to Australia. Photo: supplied
Photo taken in northern France in 1919, of Australian 4 Squadron air force mechanic Tim Tovell (right), with French World War I orphan Henri Hemene, on their way to England, then home to Australia. Photo: supplied
The grave of Henri Hemene Tovell at Melbourne's Fawkner cemetery. Photo: Eddie Jim
The grave of Henri Hemene Tovell at Melbourne's Fawkner cemetery. Photo: Eddie Jim

On Christmas Day in 1918, a small French boy wandered in to the mess hall at Bickendorf air base in Germany as the men of Australian Flying Corps 4 Squadron held a sumptuous lunch.

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