THE PERSONAL eyewitness accounts of the death of Gunner Robert B. Fontana in 1918 on the French battlefield brought tears to the eyes of many in the large audience assembled at the Avenel Football Netball Club on Saturday 27 June.

More than 20 descendants of Robert Fontana travelled from all over Victoria and beyond to attend what proved to be an emotional half-time presentation of a framed portrait, medals, and tribute commemorating the war hero, which had been given to his parents in 1919.

Included in the tribute was Fontana's medal that recognised his role as club captain in 1914-15, as well as the 1921 premiership medal from his brother Michael.

It is rare for a family reunion of such size and significance to meet as one, and to the members of the Avenel Football Netball Club, it was a surprise and a deep honour to host the event and take receipt of the tribute after the large number of family members had slowly appeared from within the game's crowd of spectators.

LOCAL historian and descendant Glenn Fontana gave an emotive speech on the life and brutal death of his ancestor, as recorded by his colleague Ronald Austin in the book Cycling to War.

The graphic accounts of a bomb dropped by a German aircraft landing beside Fontana proved deeply affecting for some at the ceremony.

As a member of the First ANZAC Cyclist Battalion, Fontana's grave was marked with a bicycle wheel by his comrades who were tasked with the collection of fragments of the Gunner's body.

A member of the battalion, George Whitechurch, was so affected by the death so close to war's end that he made the trip to Avenel to meet with Robert's parents.

For the then Avenel Football Club, the loss of their captain was a deep personal grief which then formed into the tribute.

Robert's father Domenico Fontana migrated to Avenel from Genoa in Italy, marrying Mary Sutton and establishing an olive orchard at the end of Kibble Lane.

Three of their sons went to war, and generations of their descendants have always kept a connection with Avenel despite most moving far from the district.

The tribute was believed to be lost.

However, through generations of family custodianship, the items survived, preserved long enough to one day return to Avenel.

When Bendigo's Philip Syratt found them while sorting family belongings, he recognised their significance immediately.

Mr Syratt had the portrait carefully restored in Sunbury before making contact with the club to arrange for the items' return to the place that first honoured his great-grandfather, saying the tribute was a "pretty significant" piece of history.

"I thought perhaps the football club would like it," he said.

"And there was a lot of interest from the club, so we'd like to donate this back to the club so this history can be enjoyed by people for years to come."

AVENEL Football Netball Club president Joseph Pollock said the donation represented far more than the return of historical memorabilia.

"It's an incredible story," he said.

"These items have been treasured by the family for generations, and the fact that they have chosen to bring them home to our club is something truly special to us."

During the presentation, Glenn Fontana read aloud the plaque's text, including a moving poem written by Robert's comrades.

In a poignant moment, the portrait was held aloft before the crowd, who took a moment of silence to honour the day.

Mr Fontana said the initial presentation in 1919 showed the strength of small-town community spirit.

"For a club to go to this extent, to have such a plaque made, a beautiful picture and everything, and to present it to his family after his death in 1918, I think shows how much a football club means to a local community," he said.

"We're very fortunate to have been able to uncover this family history."

PLANS are now underway for a Robert Fontana Memorial Medal for ANZAC Day games and a recreated battalion bicycle.

"This will become part of our donation so that Robert's history is always recorded," Mr Fontana said.

In a story of return — not of loss, but of remembrance renewed — the legacy lingered.

At half time in their Round 11 clash with Merrigum, while co-captains Tim Dundon and Jack Myers led their troops in the mud outside, their predecessor from 112 years ago came home.

A football club mourned its captain in 1918 — more than a century later, he came home.

Enlisting at the age of 26, Robert Fontana said goodbye to his hometown and beloved Avenel Football Club and headed to France, never to return.

He was killed barely three months before the First World War ended on 1 September 1918, when a bomb dropped from an enemy aircraft struck near the shelter where he had sought refuge.

He is buried in Hargicourt British Cemetery, France.

Fontana captained the Avenel Football Club in 1914 and 1915 and was held in high regard by the local community.

His name is inscribed on Avenel's war memorial in Jubilee Park, but at the Avenel Football Netball Club he is remembered not simply as a fallen soldier, but as the club captain who never came home.

After the Armistice, which brought the war to an end, the club presented Fontana's parents with the framed tribute which included a poem.

Somewhere in France he is lying,
Killed by a passing shell.
He was buried by his comrades
And mates that loved him well.

Just when his life was brightest,
Just when his hopes were best,
God called him from the field of battle
To a home of eternal rest.

Vale Gunner Robert B. Fontana