A "beautiful" teen from Dubbo who lost his life serving his country is set to have a new bronze plaque at his grave in time for Anzac Day.
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It's part of a refurbishment project to ensure Private William Wayne Donnelly and fellow veterans are never forgotten. The soldier died of wounds sustained in the Vietnam War in 1968, aged 19.
Known as Wayne during his short life, he was laid to rest in what his family considers a "hidden" and "derelict" section of Sydney's Rookwood cemetery.
His aunty, Barbara Dodd of Dubbo, and his cousin, Pauline James, previously told the Daily Liberal of their distress at the condition of the section of the cemetery.
In September the Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG) appeared to rule out abiding by their call to move his grave, citing the Additional Protocol 1 to the Geneva Convention, that 'war dead should not be disturbed except for reasons of overriding public necessity'.
But it revealed it was in the early stages of repairing the section of the cemetery.
The OAWG has recently confirmed it is moving ahead with the project.
Works to refurbish the "Old Army" Anglican Section EE at the Rookwood Necropolis in Sydney will start early this year to allow for completion by Anzac Day, a departmental spokesperson said.
The section contains 112 graves of service personnel who served from 1888 to 1968, the OAWG reports.
"The refurbishment will include a higher standard of horticultural presentation, improved access, and the replacement of individual grave markers consistent with official commemoration bronze plaques," the spokesperson said.
"As part of this process OAWG is liaising closely with families of the deceased veterans, including to provide them with the opportunity to record personal inscriptions on the new bronze plaques.
"Maintaining war graves is an important part of the Department of Veterans' Affairs' commitment to honour the service and sacrifice of our veterans and their families, and ensure they will never be forgotten."
The project has brought some comfort to those who knew and loved the young and brave soldier, who spent years of his childhood at Dubbo.
"Our family is pleased that at long last something is happening at Rookwood, the graves are being acknowledged after so many years of being hidden," Mrs James said.
"Wayne's aunty Barbara Dodd is really pleased that our beautiful Wayne will have a new plaque."
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
