Alone in no man's land with just a few sandbags for cover, John Hamilton single-handedly kept the enemy at bay for six crucial hours at Gallipoli.
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Born in Orange and a butcher by trade, Hamilton arrived on day one - April 25, 1915 - aged just 19.
Less than four months later he earned Australia's highest military honour, the Victoria Cross, in a battle at Lone Pine - and made it home to tell the tale.
On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing, Hamilton's great-grandson Matthew Hamilton, from Albion Park, will share his story during a special two-part series on Channel Seven's Sunday Night.
"It's one of those things; it's pretty amazing when you really think about it," Matthew told the Mercury.
"When I was younger I sort of knew my great-grandfather got a medal in the war for bravery [but] I didn't think much about it.
"When you get older and have your own kids and realise what sort of country we live in, how free we are, it's sort of special ... to know my great-grandfather and other men did these acts of bravery for our country.
"It's pretty crazy too when you think about it; laying out there in the open for six hours."
Matthew's mother Cheryl, from Blackbutt, also features in The Power of Ten series, which tells the tales of the 10 Anzacs who received a VC during the battle at Gallipoli.
Matthew and Cheryl donated Hamilton's medal to the Australian War Memorial and in the series return to donate an old box containing his autograph book full of VC signatures, a battlefield compass, an antique cigarette rolling machine and century-old matches.
"These have all been kept in a shoebox for the last 70, 80 years ... it's more of an Australian history thing than our family history," Matthew said.
"I think it should be enjoyed by everyone, otherwise it'll be sitting in the cupboard with no one looking at it."
Matthew never met his great-grandfather, who died in the early 1960s, but stories passed down from his father and grandfather speak of a man who was "straight to the point" and "didn't muck around".
"I think any member of a family would be proud of their relatives going to war and fighting for their country," he said.
Following the war, John Hamilton returned to civilian life but volunteered again for World War II and was deployed to New Guinea.
"He did go back to war a few times and serve in a few different parts of the world so he was pretty lucky to come home each and every time," Matthew said.
The Power of Ten airs on Sunday at 8.30pm and concludes on April 19.
