For the last two decades, Bathurst historian Andrew Fletcher has played an instrumental role in unearthing the forgotten stories of local servicemen and women who served in World War I.
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In recognition of his efforts, Mr Fletcher has been named as one of Bathurst's seven Living Legend inductees for 2019.
While the title of Living Legend is bestowed upon only a select few each year, Mr Fletcher said there are numerous members of the community who are equally deserving of the honour.
"We're lucky to boast a community where so many people are actively involved with a range of organisations designed to improve the lives of others," he said.
"In essence, the Living Legend initiative is a reflection of the community's strong desire to acknowledge people for their achievements."
Mr Fletcher moved to the region in 1994, and soon became acquainted with the Bathurst District Historical Society.
Possessing a strong interest in military history, Mr Fletcher has built an admirable reputation in the community for his efforts to piece together the stories of Bathurst's WWI servicemen and women.
"To date, I've discovered 2038 men and women from the Bathurst region who enlisted to serve in WWI," he said.
"I originally focused on studying the history of both Bathurst and my home town, Glen Innes, before finding Bathurst's history was far too interesting to bowl over quickly.
"It can be rather difficult to prove the origins of certain men and women at times because in those days, it was common for people to tell porkies on their enlistment forms."
Behind Sydney, Bathurst has the most storied military history of any community in Australia, dating back to the 1882 Mahdist War in Sudan.
- Andrew Fletcher
Mr Fletcher's research notably re-established the history of 24 local nurses who served in various locations overseas during WWI, bearing well-known Bathurst family names such as Kellett, McSpedden, Suttor and Wilson.
"Apart from hospital records, there was previously little in the way of acknowledgement for Bathurst's nurses who gave their lives to assist the sick and wounded overseas during WWI," he said.
"It amazed me how regular these women kept coming up in my research, and I felt they were long overdue to receive recognition for their service."
A plaque to honor the 24 nurses was officially unveiled at the Bathurst War Memorial Carillon in March last year.
Mr Fletcher also looks after the plaques along Bicentennial Park's Heritage Wall, and is in the process of generating interest for a public archive consisting of Bathurst's military history.
"Behind Sydney, Bathurst has the most storied military history of any community in Australia, dating back to the 1882 Mahdist War in Sudan," he said.
In addition to his role as a historian, Mr Fletcher's diverse history as a community volunteer has been noted in his Living Legend achievement.
MEET OUR OTHER 2019 LIVING LEGENDS:
Some of Mr Fletcher's noteworthy roles over the years include unit commander of SES Central West Capability Unit [2017-present], general manager of the Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust [1998-2007] and officer commanding of the 28 Flight [Bathurst] Air Training Corps [ATC] [1996-2000].
Mr Fletcher has fond memories of his time with the Air Training Corps [today known as the Australian Air Force Cadets], with his efforts proving instrumental in the growth of cadet training in Bathurst.
"When I took command, the Flight owed fees to the ATC and only had eight or nine active cadets and one adult instructor," he said.
"Over the next couple of years, we grew that to over 40 cadets and Bathurst's business community had sponsored us to a very safe financial position."
Mr Fletcher is a descendant of George Cheshire, one of Bathurst's initial settlers.