WHEN a family in Black Ranges received a newsletter from Federal Member for Mallee, Andrew Broad last week, it took on an unexpected significance.
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Opening the special Anzac Day commemoration Broadsheet, Rodney Matheson began reading and was moved to discover his own great uncle, A.W.A Barber, was featured.
Having only recently unearthed a number of his great uncle's belongings, including his last letter, written the day before he died, it's easy to imagine the surprise Rodney felt seeing A.W.A Barber's grave in a photograph on the front of the Broadsheet.
"It was a shock but it was great," Mr Matheson said.
"There he was, his grave, his story, staring up at me.
"Six months ago we had no idea about him. It was when we were cleaning out my mum's place that we found his letters and medal.
"They'd been kept all those years, then suddenly we found them and then we see his story in the Broadsheet.
"From knowing nothing about him to this, is kind of overwhelming but good."
Mr Broad was himself moved by the connection and invited Mr Matheson to meet him, during his recent road trip to Stawell.
"To have knelt beside A.W.A Barber's grave and to have read about his service and death in Gallipoli was powerful but then to see his letters, written in beautiful, thought out script, made it all the more real," Mr Broad said.
"In his final letter he writes with stoicism about the conditions the men faced, surviving on basic food, including ground up biscuits and strong tea to 'drown out the taste'.
"He also talks about seeing a gunner shot in the head, right in front of him, with another bullet passing through his own jacket but miraculously missing him. 'Quite close enough for this kid', Barber wrote of the experience.
"It's hard reading when you know that the very next day he was killed," Mr Broad said.
The Broadsheet is Mr Broad's newsletter which he sends out three times a year and the latest edition is dedicated to commemorating the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day.
"I went to Gallipoli over my Christmas break and it had such an impact," Mr Broad said.
"I wanted, in a small way, to recognise all those men from across the Wimmera, Mallee and Mildura region who sacrificed so much.
"To make this connection with Rodney, through my Broadsheet was so unexpected but wonderful."
The Broadsheet is distributed via Australia Post but is also available for viewing on line at www.andrewbroad.com.au