IN May this year News Of The Area reported that researcher and author Trevor Lynch, the man who produced the book on servicemen and women of the Nambucca district in the First World War, was beginning work on a Second World War volume.

His well-known first work, ‘Nambucca Anzacs’, was released in 2013.

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His intent now is to publish a detailed record of all those from the district, or with links to the Nambucca Valley, who served in the nation’s armed forces during World War Two.

Recently retiring from an Army career spanning over 40 years, Mr Lynch works from his home in Canberra however frequently returns to Macksville, his home town, to conduct interviews and carry out research for the book.

Last week Mr Lynch met with executive members of the Nambucca Heads RSL sub-Branch who, earlier this year, had loaned him old sub-Branch membership records to assist in his research.

“The documents have been extremely valuable and, just from the Nambucca Heads RSL sub-Branch records alone, I have been able to identify almost 500 service personnel who served in the Second World War and have been a part of this sub-Branch,” Mr Lynch told News Of The Area.

“I have had similar support from the Macksville RSL sub-Branch and, interestingly, the numbers of WW2 members were lower as Macksville was not the preferred retirement destination in the valley due to the proximity of Nambucca Heads to beaches.”

When Mr Lynch began work on Nambucca Anzacs he was a full time uniformed member of the Australian Army and was only able to work on the book when professional and family commitments allowed.

That project took twelve years; however, now retired and in a position to be able to dedicate more time to the next volume, Mr Lynch is hopeful of being able to complete this body of work in approximately five years.

“We are fully behind the tremendous work that Trevor is doing as we know how valuable his first book, Nambucca Anzacs, is to the community and we know the next volume will be just as historically significant,” Nambucca Heads RSL sub-Branch President Dennis Lane told NOTA.

If you have a family member or friend who could be included in this work, join the Facebook group ‘Nambucca ANZACs WW2 Research’, email trevorglynch@gmail.com or phone 0408 669 449.

By Mick BIRTLES