Sergeant Harry Michael Dean wrote from a British hospital in June 1917 after his leg was amputated after a raid by German troops at Messines Ridge, France.

The letter was sent to a cousin in Epping, although no address was included as Sgt Dean had buried his address book in a trench so that, if captured, "Fritz wouldn't get any information".

Almost a century later, the letter had made its way to the Illawarra and was found in a Bible that had been donated for next month's Lifeline South Coast book fair.

After yesterday's story, the Mercury was contacted by Townsville-based World War I researcher John Reading, who put us in touch with Sgt Dean's great-nephew, another Harry Dean, from Mackay.

Mr Dean said his family was largely based in Queensland, having arrived in Bundaberg back in the 1800s.

His great-uncle was born at Bundaberg in 1890, the son of a Queensland police magistrate.

He graduated from the School of Mines at Charters Towers in 1915 before enlisting for the war effort in 1916. He was promoted to sergeant with the 1st Tunnelling Company because of mining qualifications.

Five months after returning to Australia he married his wife Helen and relocated to Port Kembla, where he had a long career as a metallurgical chemist. He died in April 1961.

Mr Dean, 69, said there was every chance he was named after his great uncle.

"I don't recall ever meeting him - I do know he was a mining warden at Charters Towers during the gold rush, before the war," the grandfather of two said.

He was unaware if any family members were still living in the Illawarra, but was keen to add the letter to the family archives.

The Lifeline South Coast Book Fair will be at Kembla Grange Racecourse on September 5-7. To volunteer at the fair or for information, call 4228 0722.