It started with an idea at an AFL footy game. Since then, more than 60 former VFL footballers who served their country have been identified as resting in unmarked graves. Alongside our work at Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale Cemetery and Geelong West Cemetery, this project is another way we are working to ensure veterans receive lasting recognition. We are working with clubs and the AFL towards having these veterans’ graves marked with a headstone. Many hours of volunteer research go into tracing their military service, locating their graves and connecting with their families.
Thank you to Carlton Football Club and Club Historian Tony De Bolfo for sharing the story of eight former Carlton footballers who served their country in this article published in August 2026.
