Tragic tale of a fallen Australian soldier who ended up being buried in Dudley

The secretary of St James the Great Church, in Eve Hill, was well aware of the three First World War graves in the churchyard, but never knew why an Australian would be buried so far from home.

That was until she discovered the work of Australian historian Cathy Sedgwick, which revealed the sad story behind the death of Lance-Corporal Alfred Skidmore, and that his family came from Dudley.

Now, some 107 years after his death, he is getting a replacement headstone to ensure his memory lives on.  

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has provided a new headstone which will be dedicated in a service at 10am tomorrow (Thursday). Mrs Hickman, secretary of St James's Church is now appealing for any surviving relatives to get in touch.

John Nicholls, a volunteer with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who tends to 175 war graves across Dudley borough, says the charity replaced his headstone this year after the original had become weathered by more than 100 years of exposure to the elements.

"The original gravestone was made in botticino marble, which has a lot of grain, and the dirt gets into the pores making it look terrible," he said.