“I’ve always been interested in WWI – everything about it really, but especially Gallipoli," he said.

“Even my school days at Mandurang Primary School were spent completely fascinated by that time in history.

"No one else in my family is keen, their interests are all about tractors!

“My first piece of ‘real’ memorabilia, and the one I would save first if the house caught on fire, is my 1929 slouch hat.

"It was a very limited item and I was thrilled to get it.

“The other treasure is the Edwin Munro (no relation) collection.

"This is from 1917 and includes amazing personal pieces and papers of his.

“The collection includes his kit bag, bayonet, pay book, maps, service book, dog tags, wallet, discharge papers, passes for leave to London, his de-mobilisation card and a YMCA card from home with a piece of wattle in it, his sweetheart badge, and mess tin, among other memorabilia of his.”

All housed in a temperature-controlled purpose-built building, Paul has taken many years to collect his military cache.

He says with a wry grin that he got into it seriously when his twin girls grew up and left home, and he had a bit more spare cash to play with.

“I’ve got a great mate in Ballarat who collects antiques and militaria, and he is such an expert that he worked on the film Gallipoli as the ‘go to’ expert to authenticate all the WWI props, uniforms and the like.

“I simply adore going to visit him and wouldn’t buy too much without his expert opinion.”

The WWI tunics include a wireless operator’s outfit, observer’s uniform, ‘maternity’ style  tunic worn by the Australian Flying Corps, and an infantryman’s uniform, all complete with their equipment, including the whistle the officers blew when the bombing stopped and the men had to go over the top of the trenches to fight.

Two other items dear to Paul’s heart are the three medals of RN Sister LM Single, and the original copy of the Gallipoli evacuation orders.

But that’s a whole other story.