No Known Grave

My great uncle, Isaac Charles Forrest, was from the small country town of Mumbil in New South Wales. He enlisted just before his 20th birthday, and was killed at Ypres on 6 June 1917 just a few months later. He has no known grave and his remaining family still don't know what became of his war medals - which he was certainly entitled to receive.

I have never even seen a photo of him. Although I live in Tasmania, I made a special trip to attend both the Mumbil and Wellington Anzac Day services. Both services were very moving, but the dawn service at Wellington was especially emotional for me. Unfortunately, Isaac’s name was incorrectly inscribed on Wellington Council’s Hall of Memory as J.C. Forrest instead of I.C. Forrest.

This was replicated on the Cenotaph when it was erected. Luckily, Peter Dowell, Wellington RSL sub-branch president, was working to get this corrected. When he asked why it took nearly 100 years for someone to point out the error I sadly realised that I am probably the first member of Isaac’s family to see his name on the cenotaph and Hall of Memory.

By Kerry Forrest