For 103 years the remains of an unknown World War I soldier lay in a grave in France, a mystery to historians and to the Australian Army, until now.
The body has been identified as 21-year-old Australian Albert Nicholson, much to the shock of his family who had long lost hope his final resting place would be found.
"I was a bit shocked because I thought I knew he was in France, but I didn't realise he was in an unmarked grave," said his great nephew John Edwards.
The Broken Hill-born ammunition driver was part of the Australian Imperial Force in France when he was killed in action at Villers-Bretonneux on August 3, 1918.
According to his family, Mr Nicholson's death was particularly tragic given he was supposed to be getting married the day he died.
He said it was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time as the 21-year-old was the only one killed by shell fire in the incident.
"He was on the middle pair of horses, a shell landed next to him, killed him, but the other two riders on the other two pairs of horses survived," Mr Edwards said.
How was he found?
For years, charity Fallen Diggers has been scouring records and burial sites across Europe trying to reunite Australian families with the bodies of their long-lost loved ones.
Over the last few years, the not-for-profit organisation has helped identify 36 fallen soldiers, which brings great joy to its president Dennis Frank.
"The greatest bit about this job is when you speak to family members and what it means to them after 100 years," he said.
Fulfilling mother's final wish
Sadly, Mr Nicholson's mother, who has long since passed away, never received the closure of knowing where her son was buried.
But now that he has been found the Australian Army will inscribe the epitaph she wished to have engraved on his headstone:
Great is our sorrow but God knows best,
He has taken our loved one home to rest.
For the rest of Albert's family, the discovery finally seals a painful wound that has been open for more than a century.
