Australian soldier E. L. Ford served in Gallipoli, survived the war, brought the instrument home, and it was kept in the family until descendants decided to sell it two years ago.

When Mr Sporne heard the bugle was listed on eBay, he made sure that his first ever bid on eBay was the highest.

“It’s something I’ll treasure,” he said.

“To me, it was pretty special to be holding it.

“I realised that’s where he held it for years.”

Mr Sporne has his own special connection to World War I, with his grandfather Marden Sporne serving on the Western Front.

"He enlisted late, at 34 and was injured when shot in the shoulder and was taken to hospital,” he said.

"While he was there he met a pretty English lass and by the end of his three-month repatriation had married his sweetheart, before returning to the Front for a further two years.

"After the war he and my grandmother returned to Bellingen and had 11 children - he may have had a late start to married life, but was obviously keen to make up for lost time."

Mr Sporne is planning to travel to Gallipoli with his son and daughter, and play the bugle there.

“I couldn’t take a better instrument back,” he said.

“I will play the last post in memory of the men who went on a great adventure that turned into the biggest shitfight they could imagine.”

The instrument looks pretty beaten up, but it still sounds good.

“Every bugle is different,” he said.

“It sounds pretty good for what it’s been through”

Keeping with tradition, on Anzac Day, Mr Sporne will still play Private Charles Hoskins’ bugle, out of respect for his descendants, who live in Kiama.

He has a busy schedule ahead, with Anzac Day commemorations starting this weekend at the Jamberoo service on Saturday, and local rugby league and rugby union games.