But, like many Australian families, the first world war wrenched them apart.

One – Edwin –  returned home from war to lay the foundations for his eponymous Australian ice cream brand and become a businessman and philanthropist who helped shape many South Coast communities.

The other – Charles – was killed as he headed to join the battle of Polygon Wood in Belgium, leaving him forever as a cheeky and good-natured young man in his family’s memory.

Now, their descendants John and Barbara Street want to make sure both men’s stories go down in history by including their wartime images and artefacts in the Spirit of Anzac exhibition currently on in Wollongong.

The brothers’ great nephew, Shellharbour resident John Street is filled with emotion and pride. Along with his wife Barbara, Mr Street has spent decades piecing together Edwin and Charles’ stories.

“It’s fantastic to be able to do this,” he said, his eyes filling with tears.

“It’s a privilege and makes us proud, not only for our family but of other service people,” Mrs Street said. “We’re the custodians of their histories and their lives.”

Born five years apart, both brothers grew up in Corrimal helping their family tend their small farm where they grew fruit, vegetables and flowers.

The brothers went together to the Corrimal enlistment office on June 22, 1916 to sign up for battle. Charles was 30 and Edwin was 24 years old.

A week later they were sworn in at Barroul House, Kiama, then sailed from Sydney as part of the 45th Battalion, 6th Reinforcements. 

They disembarked together at Plymouth, England on November 21 and were based at the Codford Training Camp in Wiltshire. The battalion trained for months before they could leave for France in January 1917.

There Charles and Edwin parted ways, as the army insisted the elder brother have his teeth – rotted from smoking a pipe – fixed before heading to battle.

In June that year, Edwin was shot in the shoulder and abdomen and sent to the Ontario Military Hospital. It was here, at the end of September, that he received news that Charles had died.

Edwin returned to battle and was badly wounded several times, before he returned to Australia in July 1919.

Upon his return he was restless, and accepted an army land grant in the Riverina, where he met and married his wife Daisy.

But farming was not for him, so he and Daisy moved back to Corrimal, where he tried many different ventures.

Eventually, he became a successful businessman by improving the ice cream one of his older brothers – John Streets’s grandfather – had experimented with in the past.

He worked on the ice cream in his back shed and would sell it to neighbours along with sweets, cakes and lemonade. He and Daisy promoted the product as “The Cream of the Coast” and set up the famous Corrimal Streets sign which remained at the original factory for decades.

Edwin and his wife had no children but regularly donated to charities and community facilities, often anonymously.

Their contributions resulted in the building of five swimming pools on the South Coast: Corrimal, Batemans Bay, Dapto, Moruya and Narooma.

He and Daisy retired to Narooma where he loved to fish, and their family home was willed to become a retirement home after they had both passed away.

After Charles’ death in September 1917, his effects were bagged and sent to nearby headquarters. His body was tagged for burial but it was never found.

His parents were notified of his death by telegram six weeks later and received his effects – a wallet, photos, pipe, notebook and knife – in 1918.

Barbara and John Street still treasure the two brothers’ wallets today.

Charles was awarded the British War medal and the Victory Medal. His name is on the Corrimal Memorial as well as the Menin Memorial Gate at Ypres, Belgium.

The Spirit of Anzac exhibition is being held at the University of Wollongong Sports Hub from January 11-20. To book go to: www.spiritofanzac.gov.au