Digging for details on diggers

Each year, the cemetery register is updated and details of all veterans are separately recorded.

This enables appropriate tributes, such as individual national flags at each grave, to be paid on Anzac Day.

Responsibility for the recording of these names and the researching of the personal service records rests with John Glover, a past president of Rochester RSL.

Mr Glover has undertaken this task since he began compiling the digital records of the cemetery in 2013.

The task started when the trust was trying to identify World War I veterans as part of the various tributes arranged to mark the centenary of World War I.

“It was not an easy task because not all veterans have their service affiliations marked on their headstones and many World War I veterans are buried in unmarked graves, a sign of the desperate straits experienced by many veterans during and after the Great Depression before World War II,’’ Mr Glover said.

‘’It then became evident that we needed to identify the graves of all veterans so that future tributes could be more inclusive.”

Cemetery trust members are excited because the substantial task is almost complete.

There are about 5400 interments in the cemetery and 320 veterans have been identified.

Details of names, and service records have been compiled and a special booklet is close to publication.

Trust secretary Sally Sampson is keen that all veterans laid to rest in Rochester cemetery are identified and recorded.

“The challenge is ensuring that all veterans including national servicemen are recorded,” she said.

“A veteran is someone, male or female, who enlisted in the Australian Defence Force or one of the allied Defence Forces. Overseas service is not a criterion for veteran status.”

Mr Glover said there was a national roll for veterans in all campaigns involving Australians, but there was no national roll for national servicemen.

‘’We rely upon families to give us that information,” he said.

Families of all veterans interred in Rochester cemetery are invited to ensure the details of their family members are recorded.

Service details are important and service numbers are engraved on the rims of any medals awarded to the veteran. Details need to be finalised by the end of June 2024.

For information, people can contact Mr Glover on 0416 180 820 or jglover@bigpond.net.au

Arrangements are being made for the booklet to be published in time for a formal book launch on Remembrance Day 2024.