A previously unknown Australian World War I soldier buried in an unnamed grave in France has been identified.
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The soldier has been identified as 10778 Albert Nicholson, a Driver in the 14th Field Artillery Brigade of the Australian Imperial Force.
"After years of investigative research, I can announce we now know the final resting place of Driver Albert Nicholson of the Australian Imperial Force, who died in France in the First World War," Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel Andrew Gee said.
"Albert, originally from Broken Hill, New South Wales, enlisted in Adelaide on 17 September 1915... He was Killed in Action at Villers-Bretonneux on 3 August 1918."
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It is believed Mr Nicholson was preparing artillery positions for the allied attack which was to occur on 8 August 1918, when he was killed by shellfire.
He was buried in an orchard at Villers-Bretonneux, however the position of his grave was lost.
When Mr Nicholson's body was eventually found, his identity was not established and he was subsequently reburied in a Commonwealth War Grave, Adelaide Cemetery in Villers-Bretonneux marked as an Unknown Australian Soldier.
Recent investigations found evidence that an unknown soldier of the 5th Divisional Artillery, which Mr Nicholson's unit was part of, was recovered after the war from a location close to where he was believed to have been buried.
Further research eliminated all other fallen soldiers of the 5th Divisional Artillery in the area, allowing for the identity of Mr Nicholson to be conclusively established.
The great-nephew of Albert, John, had throughout the years searched military records and was surprised when he was told recently his great uncle was located in an unmarked grave.
He said he was extremely grateful his great-uncle's resting place had been identified.
"The fact we can do this 103 years after he passed and are still searching for other missing soldiers is incredible," John said.
"Finding out this news has been an opportunity to reconnect with some family members I haven't spoken to in many years."
In consultation with Albert's descendants, the Australian Army, Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Office of Australian War Graves will make arrangements to replace the previously unnamed headstone with one bearing his name and service details.
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