A MUNGINDI man is on a mission to find the unmarked grave of a WWI Aboriginal veteran, after reading about his tragic death in a book.
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Kevin Hobday has travelled across the state, tracking down hand-written records and interviewing the descends of anyone who might know the location of George Bennett's final resting place.
His journey started when he was reading The Missing Man, a book about the first first Aboriginal fighter pilot, Kamilaroi man Len Waters, who flew with the RAAF in WWII. But he was intrigued by the story of Len Waters' grandfather, Bennett, a WWI digger who fought on the western front in France.
In 1950, Bennett was arrested for drunkenness and had a lonely death in a police cell in Mungindi, where he was buried two days later in an unmarked grave which has since been lost.
Mr Hobday said Bennett's fate really hit home for two reasons - he has a deep connection with region's Indigenous community through coaching football and as the son of a veteran, he believed the WWI digger deserved recognition.
He's been on the case for about five months and by cross referencing handwritten records from a number of sources, he's narrowed Bennett's grave down to five possible plots.
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"I met Bennett's 91-year-old grandson, who remembers going to the funeral, but not the exact plot," he said.
"I'm learning so much everyday. Everyday I'm putting something together. I'm making plans to go back to the NSW achieves soon."
When he does find Bennett's grave, he plans to put a headstone there honouring the digger.
"There is funding available through the RSL for a headstone," Mr Hobday said.
"I worked out that his last meal was cold veggies with a pot of tea, so we'll put that meal on when we do have the remembrance."
Author of The Missing Man, Peter Rees, said he took his hat off to Mr Hobday.
"This was a search waiting to happen," Mr Rees said.
"To think that he's devoting so much energy to find George Bennett's grave, it's very satisfying and rewarding to see the book take this path."
If Mr Hobday is unable to find Bennett's gave, he hopes to build a memorial in Mungindi, to acknowledge the service of all Aboriginal soldiers.
Jamieson Murphy
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
