A treasure of rare World War I photographs depicting life as a Light Horse soldier in the Middle East has been discovered in a shoe box.
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The 100-year-old photos were shown to Wagga man Rob Matthews by his uncle Bill, the youngest son of the late William (Bill) Matthews.
Mr Matthews, of Temora, died in 1981, aged 87.
He was a 20-year-old labourer when he enlisted in the Australia Imperial Force (AIF) on November 4, 1981, and taken into B squadron of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade's 7th Regiment.
Bill Matthews was one of about 10,000 soldiers who arrived in Egypt on February 1, 1915.
He fought at Gallipoli between May and December, 1915, as a dismounted infantryman and then in the Middle East until the end of the Great War in November, 1918.
Mr Matthews was awarded the Military Medal in November. 1917, for gallantry and devotion to duty in the field and was wounded in action in May, 1918.
During his service, Mr Matthews was promoted throughthe ranks until appointed Squadron Sergeant Major in October 1918.
Rob Matthews said he was shown the photos after he went to his uncle's house to ask a few questions about his grandfather's war service.
"That is when he came out with a shoebox of photos," Mr Matthews said.
Mr Matthews copied 30 photos.
They depict a wide variety of scenes ranging from Bill Matthews on his horse in Egypt to him laying in his cot.
There are scenes of hundreds of soldiers in battle, watering their horses, climbing over a captures German lorry and being tourists in Jerusalem.
"It was an emotional thing looking at the photos and just seeing through his eyes what he had seen," Mr Matthews said.