After more than eight decades of being lost, Ballarat's forgotten soldier, Albert Charles Jones was finally remembered with a marked grave this weekend.
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The story of Jones final recognition follows a long trail after his grand daughter-in-law Sylvia Jones began a journey two years ago to learn about her family's past.
While visiting Ballarat's cemetery, she could not find the grave stone of Albert Jones.
"It's been two years since I sought out the grave, and walked up and down the paths here and found no grave existed," Ms Jones said.
But since then without her actively seeking out or intending to promote the story, Jones' story has resonated with the public. Today this interest culminated in a ceremony to acknowledge Albert Jones with about 150 people attending.
"Like any other soldier, if Albert were looking down on us he'd be wondering what all the fuss is about, thinking he didn't do anything special or unique," she said.
"But putting your life on the line and answering your country's call is doing something special, and it deserves a marked grave."
Ballaarat General Cemetery community advisory committee member Garry Snowden said although 12 months ago he'd never heard of Albert Jones, through his research he had come to know him quite well.
"He was so typical of so many men that served: he was a bit of a knockabout but when the time came he stood up to serve our country."
"It is just more than 99 years ago since he enlisted."
Mr Snowden described him as a larrakin that was never destined to be a Sunday school teacher, getting himself in to trouble on quite a few occasions.
Jones was discharged on May 23 1919, but was not destined to live a long life.
He died in 1930 in a shunting accident at the Ballarat Railway Yards at a time that was the beginning of the depression and he left behind four children.
It is presumed the family could not afford to do more than arranging a burial.
"Albert had been forgotten for a long time, but due to the passion and investigation of his granddaughter-in-law and the Rotary Club of Ballarat South, things are being put right," Mr Snowden said.
The grave stone was funded by the Rotary Club of Ballarat South with club president Andrew Pipkorn unveiling the headstone.
Albert Charles Jones 1884 - 1930