THE last letter Private George Stringer’s mother received from her son was penned in a hand not his own.

He was laid up at a hospital in Malta after being injured in a bomb blast at Gallipoli.

The 19-year-old Lauriston man’s final words home conveyed hope of recovery.

“I am still in the above hospital and improving slowly, but expect to be here for some time yet as I cannot use my arm and also my leg: so under the circumstances am prevented from writing myself,” the letter said.

But it did not seem that optimism was shared by the nursing staff and doctors caring for him, according to a report by Kyneton Historical Society member Geoff Stringer.

The medical team noted Private Stringer was becoming increasingly weak and was not responding to treatment as well as hoped.

Private Stringer’s wounds were largely on his left side and included a fractured shoulder, fractured lower jaw, and a severe shrapnel wound in his leg. 

He died on August 4, 1915 – nine days after the letter was penned.

A Macedon Ranges man, Private Henry Arthur Lawry wrote on behalf of Private Stringer.

According to Mr Stringer’s account, both men had enlisted, travelled, trained and fought together.

They lost contact ‘in the mayhem of Gallipoli’ only to be reunited for a final time in hospital.

Both men were injured in the same bomb blast.

Though Private Stringer died of his wounds, Private Lawry survived both Gallipoli and World War I. 

He returned home, was married and became a father.

Knowledge of the friendship that existed between Private Stringer and Private Lawry dissipated in the more than 100 years after the letter was written.

Neither Will Stringer nor Jasmine Lawry knew of the connection when they expressed interest in travelling to Turkey with their school as part of an exchange program.

The East Loddon P-12 College students and their families have since come to appreciate the serendipity of their involvement in the trip.

“It makes it a little bit more personal and real to think they were good friends,” Jasmine said.

An article Will wrote about Private Stringer – who was his grandfather’s uncle – in the school newsletter last week alerted Jasmine’s family to the connection.

“One of his friends, originally from the Macedon Ranges region was also with him when he was injured, himself being injured,” Will had written.

“His friend ‘H. A. Lawry’ penned a number of letters to George’s mother on behalf of George and my grandpa has provided me with copies of these.”

Jasmine said her father had already done a bit of research into the family’s history of service, but delved a little deeper after reading the newsletter article.

“It was pretty amazing,” she said.

She said some of the family’s history was lost after World War II.

Will has been interested in his ancestry for quite some time.

“I’ve been looking into it a bit more now because I’m going to Turkey,” he said.

He has been talking with his grandparents on both his father and his mother’s side about their family history.

Will was looking forward to paying his respects to his forebears while overseas.

“I think its awesome going over and finding and standing where they fought and having a look at the conditions they had to go through to fight and being scared not to get shot every day,” he said.

He and Jasmine are two of six East Loddon P-12 College students embarking on the 28-day exchange.

Turkey will be the country in which they will spend the most time.

Historical attractions and ancient cities feature in their itinerary.

One day, prior to Anzac Day, is devoted to exploring Gallipoli and the Peninsula.

The students will visit Anzac Cove, the Lone Pine Memorial, Chunuk Bair Memorial and the Ataturk Memorial.

Where possible, the students will lay knitted poppies on the graves of soldiers with whom they or their college community have particular connections.

They will then spend the majority of the following two weeks staying with the families of students at their sister school, Canakkale Doga Okullari School.

Though the trip is called the ‘Turkish Exchange’, the students will also visit two other countries – Thailand and Greece.

Their international adventure starts in Thailand, where they will spend a day touring the River Kwai and learning of the area’s military history.

The so-called Death Railway, built by prisoners of war during World War II, features on their itinerary.

Organisers have also allocated time for sightseeing in Bangkok and at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market before the students depart for Athens.

Tours will take up the majority of the participants’ two days in Greece.

With the start of the trip less than two weeks away, on April 1, the East Loddon P-12 College community is buzzing with excitement.

Six students and several staff might be travelling abroad, but the whole school has helped get them there by supporting numerous fundraising events in the past year.

A final fundraiser, in the form of a farewell dinner, has been organised for March 28 at Bendigo Stadium.

Gallipoli expert Dr John Basarin OAM will speak at the event.