Peter Walsh made it a priority to visit the Rochester family of a fallen Australian soldier whose grave he visited during his Kokoka Trail trek earlier this year.
The State Member for Murray Plains, who is still on crutches after snapping his Achilles tendon on his return to Australia, said it was a poignant, but heartwarming moment at Rochester when he met the family of Australian soldier Colin Sinclair, who died on the Kokoda on December 19, 1942.
“When I trekked Kokoda, I visited Colin’s grave at Bomana War Cemetery on behalf of his family and community and to be able to show those pictures to his sister-in-law Hilma Sinclair and nieces Jan Windridge and Wendy Foott, who all still live in town, was a very special moment for me,” he said.
Mr Sinclair was a private in 39th Battalion when he died of wounds aged 28, and the date of his death indicates he was killed at the Battle of the Beachheads. Earlier he had been listed as missing in action at the battle of Isurava, only to rejoin the battalion weeks later, indicating he was part of the groups which were cut off and had to go bush.
Having survived Kokoda, he was still with the 39th when it was sent to the beach heads just north of the Kokoda Trail. He was wounded on December 15 and passed away four days later.
“Hilma had some great family stories about Colin, and also her own brother, William Spence, who died in the North Africa campaign fighting the Afrika Korps,” Mr Walsh said.
“She also told me how her house has been underwater in no fewer than five floods over the years and is still being tidied up after the October 2022 disaster.
“Hilma has also invited me to speak to her group of friends whose hospital meeting room is currently unavailable, but they have found an alternative setting, so I will be there shortly.
“Then she, Jan and Wendy turned on a delightful afternoon tea.”