Few would think it was the last resting place of a Gallipoli hero.

No, it wasn't on some faraway battlefield or war cemetery overseas.

It was right here in Nowra in the general section of the Nowra General Cemetery.

It was the last resting place of possibly the Shoalhaven’s highest decorated World War 1 veteran, Private Raymond Benson, MM (Military Medal), MiD (Mentioned in Despatches) and CC (Corps Complimentary).

It is understood he is one of just eight AIF soldiers to receive all three decorations for the Gallipoli campaign.

As Nowra RSL Sub-Branch secretary Rick Meehan said “you’d think it was a pauper’s grave, not a war hero.”

Although he wasn’t originally from the Shoalhaven, in fact he was born in England, Private Benson eventually settled in the Shoalhaven, living at Orient Point. He died in 1958, laid to rest in the Nowra cemetery.

It’s certainly a long way from Gallipoli on April 25, 1915 where he was part of the first Australians to step foot on the peninsula and was among the first to be awarded honours, the Military Medal.

Private Benson was part of the 4th Australian Infantry Battalion. His citation read - “On the night of 26th April 1915 at Gallipoli, he carried 1000 rounds over open ground to the machine gun section and also kept two companies supplied with ammunition for 24 hours this materially helping to save a critical situation”.

He was awarded a Military Medal for this effort and this was promulgated in the London Gazette on October 27, 1916.

He also received a Mention in Despatches from General Sir Ian Hamilton dated September 22, 1915 “for gallant and distinguished services in the field”. The particulars were “for gallant conduct in running messages and carrying provisions to firing line under fire (Reported by Major Storey, Capt Scott, Capt Clayton and Lieut Massie)”.

The certificate was signed by Winston Churchill and promulgated in the London Gazette on November 5, 1915.

A Corps Complimentary was also published with his name included on June 29, 1915 “which have been brought to his (the Army Corps Commander) notice for having performed various acts of conspicuous gallantry or valuable service during the period from April 25 to May 5 1915”. This was promulgated in Australian Military Orders No. 570 of 1915.

“We [the Nowra RSL] were totally unaware his grave was here in the Nowra General cemetery,” said Mr Meehan, who along with his son Luke look after the Nowra War Cemetery.

“You can hardly read the name on the simple cross. You could make out the Ray and the md and 1st AIF. That was about it.”

The RSL was alerted to his grave site by the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum and local historian Robyn Florance.

“The gravestone is a simple cross and wasn’t noteable. The grave was in a state of disrepair. Honestly you would think it was a pauper’s grave,” Mr Meehan said.

“Certainly far from a hero. A true Anzac.”

Through funds provided by the Nowra RSL, Mr Meehan and his son and Nowra RSL Vice-president Fred Campbell located Private Benson’s grave and gave it a spruce up ahead of Anzac Day.

There are plans to ensure “possibly the Shoalhaven’s highest decorated World War I veteran is appropriately remembered,” Mr Meehan said.

“As we enter the end of the centenary of Anzac, it is appropriate one of the true Anzac’s, a man who landed at Gallipoli on April 25, was recognised for his gallantry have a decent gravesite.

“Something that would keep the tradition of Anzac alive and forever going.”

Mr Meehan said the Nowra RSL would be contacting the Commonwealth War Graves and the Repatriation Department to see if funds were available to give Private Benson ”a decent headstone”.

“If we get no joy there in getting funds, we will contact RSL State, who we believe is certainly financial enough to do something to properly remember Private Benson,” Mr Meehan said.

“Surely we can give a true Anzac a decent headstone.”

He will also be remembered on Anzac Day with a wreath being laid at his gravesite as part of a special ceremony at the Nowra War Cemetery around noon, which is also open to the public.

Private Benson’s story is told on the Anzac Stories website from the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum in a biography written by Robert Simpson.

He arrived in Australia in  March 1913 from Liverpool to Sydney, via Melbourne on the ship T.E.S. Essex.

According to his Attestation Form, Raymond Benson joined up on September 1, 1914, No. 912 4th Battalion 1st Infantry Brigade and was appointed to F Company, by his commanding officer, who was later killed at Gallipoli.

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire is stated as his place of birth and his age of 29 means he was born in 1885.

His previous occupation was that of a grocer and he worked for five years at the Gloucester Co-op Society.

He stated he had previous service in the Territorials for three years as a Private and his term had expired.

Interestingly the form is signed Raymond Brown. The second page is signed Raymond Benson.

His term of service was from September 1, 1914 and up to four months after peace.

At Sydney, on October 20, 1914, he embarked on HMAT Euripides (A14) and his address on the embarkation roll was 23 Regent Street, Sydney.

He embarked on HT Lake Michigan at Alexandria on April 5, 1915 to join M.E.F and landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. The battalion was part of the second and third waves.

He was awarded the Military Medal for his actions on April 26 - “On the night of 26th April 1915 at Gallipoli, this man carried 1,000 rounds over open ground to the machine gun section and also kept two companies supplied with ammunition for 24 hours this materially helping to save a critical situation”. He was awarded a Military Medal for this effort and this was promulgated in the London Gazette on October 27, 1916.

He also received a Mention in Despatches from General Sir Ian Hamilton dated September 22, 1915 “for gallant and distinguished services in the field”. The particulars were “for gallant conduct in running messages and carrying provisions to firing line under fire (Reported by Major Storey, Capt Scott, Capt Clayton and Lieut Massie)”. The certificate was signed by Winston Churchill and promulgated in the London Gazette on November 5, 1915.

A Corps Complimentary was also published with his name included on June 29, 1915 “which have been brought to his (the Army Corps Commander) notice for having performed various acts of conspicuous gallantry or valuable service during the period from April 25 to May 5, 1915”. This was promulgated in Australian Military Orders No. 570 of 1915.

On May 18, 1915 a hand grenade exploded near his right shoulder and he was taken to H.S. Sicilia and operated on to remove several small pieces of shrapnel.

He was taken to No. 1 Australian Stationary Hospital at Lemnos on May 21, 1915. On June 7 it was noted that the wounds were not healing up and no improvement in his shoulder movement. An x-ray showed more fragments and a bullet in his deltoid muscle.

On June 14, he was noted as “dangerously ill” and he was operated on to remove the pieces. By the 21st he was taken off the dangerously ill list and the wounds were looking well, and he embarked for Egypt.

He was admitted to No. 2 Australian General Hospital on June 26, 1915 and was transferred to Ras-el-tin C. Depot.  On September 26, 1915, he was admitted at the Australian Overseas Base at Alexandria from Ras-el-tin Convalescent Hospital.

He was still there on November 10, 1915 when he was diagnosed with malaria and on the 13th he was invalided to Australia. At the Australian Intermediate base at Suez on 15th he embarked to Australia per H. T. “Borda” for discharge, with malaria being the reason given and rheumatism is also mentioned on his service forms. He disembarked in Melbourne on December 13, 1915.

After arriving back in Australia, he seems to vanish for a while as there is correspondence from various people to the Defence Department inquiring of his whereabouts.

There is record of him being given a small metal badge in recognition of his recruiting work at Inverell while the war was still on, so he must have been there for a while after he returned.

In 1926 Raymond Frederick Benson married Aileen M Buckley.

He died in 1958 and was buried at the Nowra General Cemetery. The NSW Death Index has him being born in 1881 (age 77) and his parents were John and Mary Elizabeth.

Aileen died in 1983 and is buried with her son Reginald Arthur Buckley who died in 1985.

The death notice for Raymond also has “beloved husband of Aileen Muriel and stepfather of Reg and Joan Buckley” and an address of Orient Point via Nowra.

It also notes him as being “late 1st AIF’” and has after his name “M.M., D.S.M., Mentioned in Dispatches”.

It seems Benson was originally named Raymond Robson. He left his family and home in England and migrated to Australia, changing his surname to Benson.

He then joined the A.I.F. for WW1, was wounded and returned to Australia, but did not want to be contacted by anyone he previously knew.