DESCENDANTS of a Cumnock family have travelled to France to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of one of their relatives.

Cpl William John ‘Jack’ Girvan was killed along with two others when a roadside bomb exploded on April 2, 1918 in Pont-Rouge, Belgium.

Members of the Girvan family, including family history enthusiast Malcolm Maurer, visited his grave earlier this month.

Malcolm said: “Members of the extended Girvan family attended the final resting place of Jack, travelling from Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane.

“On the 100th anniversary of his death we honoured his sacrifice and the sacrifice of all Australians in WWI.”

Cpl Girvan’s parents – John Girvan and Mary Jane Allan – emigrated to Australia from Cumnock in the 1880s.

Malcolm, from Queensland, Australia, had been planning the trip to his grave for over a year with the aim of re-uniting his great great great uncle with his mother.

“France Rod, Vanessa and I joined Meredith and Erin, touring the Western Front as we prepared for the 100th anniversary of William’s death,” added Malcolm.

“Nothing could prepare me for the overwhelming emotion of the magnitude of sacrifices for our freedom. Walking through fields in No Man’s Land and finding live ammunition and items of war 100 years after thousands of men on both sides died in so many fields.

“We walked as close as possible the final steps of William, as we made our way to his grave. Locating the clearing station that he was treated in before he died.

“Arriving at Pont-D’Achelles Military Cemetery, I new where William was as I walked up the steps entering the cemetery.

“I walked every row reading each name, then I stopped, paused and continued as I read Williams head stone, returning to his grave once I read each headstone.

“As each family member removed soil from his grave, we replaced it with flowering plants including a poppy.

“When we arrived in Brisbane, soil from William’s grave was declared and treated with nothing less than honour and respect by Australian Customs. A small gesture to reunite a mother and son, the soil will be interned into his mother’s grave at a later date.

“It was overwhelming knowing that in spirit he was home in Australia.

“Last but not least as we near ANZAC Day, William your sacrifice is remembered, along with the thousands upon thousands of soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice.”