Photo sparks years of research to uncover Anzac's past

As Broome prepares to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Australia's involvement in World War I, one resident will step off Kimberley soil to retrace his roots back to western Victoria and pay respects to a relative who died at Gallipoli.

Spending the Anzac Centenary in Coleraine, the hometown of his late great uncle, will be a symbolic homecoming for Brian Kane after devoting years of research to his life.

Private John Kane, who served in the 8th Light Horse Regiment, was shot by a sniper at Walker's Ridge on July 30, 1915, aged 43.

Brian first saw a photograph of him in his grandfather's home when he was 16, and he became fascinated by the uniformed man.

His grandfather gave little away except that his brother had died in the war, which only piqued his interest further and raised questions about his great uncle's past.

It was not until a decade later that Brian discovered significant pieces of the puzzle after a chance meeting with his 90-year-old great aunt Dolly.

While inquiring about John, Dolly disappeared into the back room to emerge with original handwritten letters documenting his life before and during the war, as well as other precious items including medals, a dog tag and a prayer book.

She handed everything over to Brian.

"I could hardly speak because I thought this was going to take a lot of digging and here it was right at my doorstep," he said.

This sparked the beginning of a compelling research project that would take years to compile and eventually lead him to travel to Gallipoli to the spot where John was killed.

As he pored over the records, Brian started piecing together a vivid image of his great uncle.

Born in 1871, John was the eldest son of Daniel Kane, and worked as a farmer and horse trainer in Coleraine.

Unlike most young men who signed up to the war in their late teens or early 20s, John was a 43-year-old bachelor when he enlisted on September 1, 1914.

Intriguing anecdotes revealed much about his great uncle.

"He was a very compassionate person and sensitive," Brian said.

"The day he left the Coleraine railway station for Melbourne, he must have known there was a good chance he would not return because he was crying, which was really unusual for a man of that time."

While away from home, John frequently wrote to his sister, Mag, about his life as a soldier.

In one letter dated October 1914, he talks about the long hours of training, mateship and the anticipation of leaving Australia to fight in the war.

The following month, he wrote about his first trip to the Melbourne Cup while on leave from the Broadmeadows training barracks and appeared to be in good spirits.

"We are having a good time this last three days going to Williamstown ranges rifle range for practice…"

Brian learnt that John befriended William Kane and David Kelso and believed it was quite probable his great uncle and William were related, based on their families' roots.

The men served in the 8th Light Horse Regiment after joining the contingent from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade.

On February 25, 1915, John and his comrades left Australia and set sail on the Star of Victoria, bound for Egypt.

During a short stopover in Albany, John wrote a letter to Mag on March 3.

He detailed challenges the troops faced throughout the journey, including sickness, losing a horse and reported cases of diphtheria.

John penned another letter the next month after arriving in Cairo, describing his first impressions of the place, including seeing the ancient pyramids for the first time.

"They are 470 feet high and cover about seven acres…" he said.

"They are supposed to be (built) over 3000 years ago. But how they carried the great stones weighing tons, I don't know or where they got them from."

He also hinted he was feeling homesick, telling his sister: "If I ever see Australia again, it will do me".

Just two months later, a horrifying chapter in history would begin to unfold as 16,000 troops reached Turkish shores - marking the first day of the Gallipoli landing at Anzac Cove on April 25.

As casualties and the death toll continued to rise, more troop reinforcements were brought in, including John, who left Alexandria for Gallipoli on May 16.

Like his comrades, John was unaware at the time of the horrors that awaited the men.

Part two next week