A COLLABORATIVE effort to honour several unmarked graves with a headstone, at the Willaston Cemetery, has had a set-back after ancestors of the deceased were unable to be located.

Headstone Project (SA) president John Brownlie said in instances where gravesite leases are still active, state law prevents the erection of a monument without family permission.

Earlier this year The Bunyip reported on a plan by the Friends of the Willaston Cemetery, Gawler Returned Services League (RSL), Gawler Council, and the SA arm of the Headstone Project, to place headstones on the unmarked gravesites of six World War I soldiers.

“Relatives of Albert Hillman and John Matz have been able to be located, and have or will give permission for us to erect a monument,” Mr Brownlie said.

“However the relatives of John Grace, John Bald, David Crosbie, and William Starkey have not been able to be located, and without their permission, we are prevented by state law from erecting a monument on their graves.”

The team has refocussed its attention on trying to locate the relatives of another seven WW1 soldiers at Willaston.

They are Alfred Dohse, Sydney Armstrong, Victor Templer, Paddy O’Brien, Charles Butcher, Walter Ireland, and Roy Loader.

Surviving relatives are asked to get in touch with either Mr Brownlie (0422 181 946), Gawler Cultural Centre heritage co-ordinator Jacinta Weiss (8522 9268), Helen Hennessy of Friends of the Willaston Cemetery (0413 331 004), or Gawler RSL public officer Wayne Clarke (0408 891 528).

It is hoped headstones can be erected in the first half of this year.

The WWI soldiers

Alfred Carlyle Dohse

Born March 9, 1897, Balaklava, to father Alfred. Lived Clare and Balranald, NSW.

Private Sydney Albert Armstrong

Born abt 1893, Glenlyon, Victoria. Service no. 2108, 27th Aus Infantry Battalion.

Private Victor William Templer

Service no. 5221, 3rd Australian Field Ambulance. 10th Battalion. Lived in Gawler. Died October 18, 1935.

Paddy O’Brien

Service no. 5370. Born 1888, Hergott Springs, SA. (First) enlisted Adelaide, December 24, 1915. Unit: 2nd Depot, Battalion. Married Johanna. Lived Wright Street, Adl.

Charles Arthur Butcher

Born August 8, 1885, Gawler to mother Elizabeth of Bridge Street, Gawler South. Enlisted August 17, 1917. Service no. S13138.

Walter Ernest Ireland

Born Wokurna, SA, March 11, 1898, to father James. Hometown: Crystal Brook. Enlisted July 15, 1918 at Port Broughton. Service no. 515134. Last unit: 2nd Depot Battalion.

Roy Sydney Loader

Born Nhill, Victoria, 1897 to father Timothy, of Kadina. Enlisted Adelaide 1915. Service no. 4635 7810 3082. Unit: 10Bn, 14R.