
Chronicle photo behind international family reunion
A PHOTO in the Chronicle found its way halfway around the world to connect members of an international family.
Hervey Bay Vietnam veteran Phillip Hodges was photographed by Chronicle photographer Alistair Brightman, with his great uncle Arthur Hodges's plaque when Freedom Park's Anzac Memorial was finished.
At 28, Arthur was sent to Gallipoli as a horseman.
"Somehow the photo in the paper ended up in Switzerland and this lady got in touch with me via the Hervey Bay RSL sub branch and said 'that particular person you were there with is my grandfather'," Phillip said.
"So we inherited another whole 'Hodges' clan in Switzerland.
"I said 'this is Hervey Bay, how did you find it?' and she said 'I was going through the papers online and I saw that photo and I wanted to let you know'.
"So we have started to communicate now and it has been really good."