Mr Morrison, himself a veteran, having served in the Royal Australian Navy for 23 years and Mrs Florance, who is renowned for her many historical publications and research, have combined to find at least 13 WWI diggers in unmarked graves at Nowra.

So far six diggers' graves have been refurbished and rededicated, the latest two for privates Robert Kearns and William Murphy, which were rededicated on Remembrance Day.

For Mrs Florance the search for local WWI diggers has been a passion since the early 2000s.

She of course has produced a number of books on local WWI history, including combining with Alan Clark and the late Keith Paterson on The Soldiers Memorial Gates Nowra, where the names of 380 plus locals who served and 84 men who paid the ultimate sacrifice were recorded.

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More recently she's produced Shoalhaven Women Heroines of WWI but it was while researching her 2007 publication The South Coast Red Cross Convalescent Home, Bomaderry she came across Private Archibald Leopold and Private Frank William Lymbery who were both severely wounded in France and were repatriated to Australia and later died at the Bomaderry Convalescent Home, before being laid to rest at the Nowra General Cemetery with a military funeral.

"It sparked an interest," Mrs Florance said.

"I just wondered how many more WWI diggers were buried in our local cemetery?

"I started looking through the cemetery to find our WWI vets."

Her research is leading to another book - Diggers Remembered The Great War 1914-1918 Nowra General Cemetery, but it was a visit to Gallipoli that hardened her resolve.

"It's important these men be recognised," Mrs Florance said.

"When I went to Gallipoli in 2004 and to the Lone Pine Cemetery I saw the hundreds of plaques with initials and names, I came away from there thinking it would be nice to be able to recognise and acknowledge all our local WWI veterans."

She said Graham Morrison was a perfect collaborator because he is also so passionate about recognising our local veterans.

"Graham is fantastic," she said "he spends hours scouring the cemetery, finding unmarked graves.

"It's not just that, then there is getting the paperwork through to war graves to ensure it is the right veteran and a record of service needs to be provided.

"Then it has to be correlated with Shoalhaven Council's cemetery records.

"Graham even goes as far as trying to track down the veteran's family or relatives."

In 2018 the grave of Private Raymond Benson, possibly the Shoalhaven's highest decorated WWI veteran, who received the Military Medal and Corps Complimentary and was Mentioned in Despatches, was discovered in a terrible state.

Moves were made to have it refurbished and rededicated with the help of Commonwealth War Graves and the Nowra RSL Sub-Branch.

During Mrs Florance's searching she came across the Shoalhaven's only Indigenous WWI soldier Private Ernest Licey.

His grave was also in a terrible state and in 2019 he was given a fitting burial place.

Now the graves of six WWI diggers (Private Benson, Private Licey, Private Robert William Senior, Private Percival Hume Smith, Private Robert Kearns and Private William John Murphy), most of which were unmarked, have been discovered and rededicated.

Mr Morrison is now working with Keith Payne VC Veterans Benefit Group and the Commonwealth War Graves to have the remaining graves refurbished and rededicated,

"It's just important to find these diggers and pay them the due respect they deserve," he said.

Such is his dedication to the cause - he can recite the names of all the diggers so far found, counting each off on his fingers as he goes.

"We've had 10 graves approved so far, of which six have been rededicated, with another three grave sites pending approval," he said.

"Some have just been put in the ground and for whatever reason just forgotten about.

"Some families didn't even know their relatives were up there.

"I'm happy to do my bit to give then the due respect they deserve. Some of them have been there like that for 70 plus years.

"It's nice to be able to show them respect."

But Mr Morrison believes the 13 found diggers is just the "tip of the iceberg".

"I'm sure there is more," Mr Morrison said.

"Once we complete Nowra we will move onto other areas like Berry."

He paid credit to Mrs Forance for her support and guidance and the assistance of everyone involved in the project.

"Everyone has been great, the war graves, Shoalhaven cemeteries and Shoalhaven City Council with their support to make it all happen," he said.

Mr Morrison and Mrs Florance are looking for family contacts for another six diggers whose graves have been found at the Nowra cemetery.

So if you have any information on any of the following or even more info on Private William "Bill" Murphy whose grave was dedicated last week, Mr Morrison and Mrs Florance would love to hear from you.

Private Michael Joseph Constantine (Number 6058)

22nd Battalion

Died April 1972, aged 70.

Private John James Hamilton (2654)

30th Battalion

Born 1896, died April 1972.

Private Alfred Charles McMillan (58614)

55th Battalion

Born April 1891, died April 1971, aged 80.

(He had a daughter, Freda, born in Nowra in 1912).

Gunner Ronald Henry Sherlock

5th Field Ambulance Brigade

Died April 1966 (Nowra).

Private Robert Vincent West (6669)

17th Battalion

Born Cambewarra, died July 1974, aged 78.

Private William "Bill" John Murphy (5441)

20th Battalion

Died March 1983.

(It was stated he resided at 49 St Ann Street, Nowra, in 1965)