Mr Kenny is among 17 locals who will tour the area taking in some of the historic World War I battlefields as part of the Nowra RSL Sub-Branch organised tour.

To be led by RSL secretary Rick Meehan, the group will visit France and Belgium, touring famous battle sites like Ypres, Passchendaele and the Somme.

“It will be special to visit the area where my uncle won his VC,” Mr Kenny said.

Mr Kenny’s uncle Bede, a member of the 2nd Battalion, was awarded the Victoria Cross in April 1917 at the Battle of the Somme, near the village of Hermies.

“We will be there two weeks short of 100 years of him being awarded the medal,” Mr Kenny said.

“That will be special. It will be an emotional time.

“I think there will be a sense of pride and wonderment. Seeing what they put themselves through and what they did.”

Mr Kenny wanted to take part in last year’s Anzac Day march in Sydney in honour of his uncle and was asked if he had any medals to verify his claims of a descendant.

He didn’t and mentioned it to Rick Meehan, who had a replica set of medals struck, including the VC, and presented them to Mr Kenny at the Anzac Centenary VC dinner.

A Private, who grew up in the Sydney Eastern Suburbs,  at just 20 he was one of the youngest ever to be awarded the VC.

Due to his height, 193cm, he had been trained in the use of  bombs.

Private Kenny was instrumental in destroying a German pillbox on a ridge overlooking where the Australians were. He rushed the pillbox, which had the Australians pinned down, throwing bombs as he went.

“The pillbox had a prominent position on a ridge with the potential to cut the Australian lines to shreds. He killed a number of the enemy, took the pillbox and captured a German captain,” Mr Kenny said.

“Like a lot of veterans of his generation, he  didn’t really talk a lot about the war.

“But we heard a lot of family stories over the years.

“He apparently had a dislike for bureaucracy in particular English officers and military police.

“The story goes while in London on leave he decided to go AWOL to Ireland for five days. When he returned he was picked up and taken to the barracks and informed he had been awarded the Victoria Cross. But also he was being docked five days pay for going missing.”

He was one of four VCs presented by King George at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Meehan said the response to the tour had been excellent.

“Because we are such a small group we are able to design the tour to be flexible,” he said.

“We are able to visit some of the sites that are of special interest or meaning for the tour participants.

“We want to try and make the tour an annual event and already have about eight willing to go next year.”

One thing that will stand out said Mr Meehan, is how flat many of the battle sites are.

“There is no high ground. The highest point is about two metres higher than everywhere else,” he said.

The locals will also take part on a service at the Menin Gate Memorial, dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres. The service has been held every night, come rain, hail or shine since 1928. Three members of the touring party have been given permission to lay a wreath during the service.

The tour will also take in Normandy, the significant landing site during World War II.