One man’s mission to name 1000 Adelaide graves: SA inspired by Tasmanian Headstone Project
IT’S estimated there are about 1000 graves of fallen soldiers laying unmarked in the state’s cemeteries. One man is hoping to honour each digger with a headstone: Here’s how the onerous search will happen.
LONG-forgotten former soldiers could be rediscovered over coming months by an intensely curious Valley View man.
John Brownlie has taken over the reins in SA of a nationwide movement, searching for unmarked graves.
It began in Hobart five years ago with the Tasmanian Headstone Project, which aims to provide a headstone and a record of service on the graves of men who served in World War 1.
Since then, Mr Brownlie says 316 soldiers have been identified at Hobart’s Cornelian Bay Cemetery and 70 at Launceston’s Carr Villa Cemetery.
And now it’s South Australia’s turn, beginning in three local cemeteries. Conservative estimates put the number of unmarked graves at 1000.
Mr Brownlie signed up for the task last October, after a reunion with a lifelong friend who is now deputy chairman of the committee overseeing the Tasmanian project.
“It was very difficult not to get involved,” he says. “It’s a fascinating process.”
The next step for Mr Brownlie and his Headstone Project team is an official walk through cemeteries in Houghton, Hope Valley and Golden Grove.
Armed with maps, they’ll cross-reference any available information with official burial records.
They then look at the date of burial and establish the date of birth to calculate the likelihood of military service.
“Anyone born before 1870 would probably have been too old to enlist, and those born from 1900 onwards would probably have been too young to enlist,” Mr Brownlie says.
“We’ll begin our search in the Golden Grove and Hope Valley cemeteries — they are small and local.
“Anyone who knows or suspects that they know of a relative or acquaintance with an unmarked grave, please get in touch.”
The project estimates there could be 12,000 such graves nationally.
Tea Tree Gully Historical Society member Carole Simmonds, who tipped off the Leader Weekly about John’s search, said there are unmarked graves in most cemeteries.
“Whether or not they belong to service people who came back from the First World War is the part that will need research,” she said.
“He is passionate about the project and I have to say anything that gives recognition to forgotten soldiers has my tick of approval.”
John Brownlie can be reached on 0422 181 946.