The final resting place of a Loomberah digger, killed in the Great War, has been identified on the eve of Remembrance Day.
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The descendants of Patrick Joseph O'Neill still live in the Tamworth area, more than a century on.
John O'Neill said the country has finally done right by their hero ancestor, who was killed in action on either September 18 or 19, 1918.
"It's a bit of just deserts that they've been finally recognised," he told the Leader.
"I can't believe what some of them went through over there."
Mr O'Neill has traced the family tree back as far as 1844.
The retired farmer and grazier, who now lives in Moonbi, said Patrick was his first cousin once removed.
He had identified the boat that carried the family to Australia, the William Medcalf. He even has the landing date, March 13.
But he never knew the final resting place of his hero ancestor, who was born in either Gunnedah, or Manilla.
Tamworth RSL sub-branch president Jayne McCarthy said the discovery is "what Remembrance Day is all about".
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"To have these guys identified just before Remembrance Day is the perfect reason why you have Remembrance Day," she said.
"To have a local bloke. I think it just brings so much meaning to Remembrance Day.
"These are our family members, these are people who died for our country."
Lance Corporal O'Neill is buried in what was an unidentified grave by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The headstone reads "known unto God".
He was killed in the unit's final attack, in an action against the Hindenburg Line, near Jeancourt. The Second Battalion Australian Imperial Force was relieved four days later.
Minister for Veterans' Affairs Darren Chester announced on Tuesday the grave of Lance Corporal O'Neill was among five First World War diggers that had been recently identified.
He gave credit for the discovery to the hard work of Fallen Diggers Incorporated, the Australian Army's Unrecovered War Casualties team and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
"It is sobering to think that more than 100 years on we are still identifying those who made the ultimate sacrifice as part of the First World War," he said.
"Lest we forget."
There are approximately 9,000 graves of unidentified Australian soldiers in Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries around the world.
Andrew Messenger
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
