Custom re-built Harley Davidson to be auctioned off to pay for memorial for WW1 digger

Leslie Thomas was a member of the 10th and 15th Light Horse Brigade and 3rd Camel Corp in WW1.

He died in Darwin, NT, in 1949 and is buried in an unmarked grave in Darwin Garden Cemetery.

Inspired by his great grandfather's WW1 service, Ross Thomas is selling the custom-rebuilt 2007 Super Glide 1690cc 103ci motorcycle, with the proceeds from sale to pay for the Wargrave Headstone on the unmarked grave.

Mr Thomas said the bike started out as a standard Super Glide, but was custom re-built by three Defence Force veterans, as a way to manage their PTSD.

"This bike has been built in memorial of the sacrifices that our service members have made and continue to make," he said.

"My great grandfather, despite his service to this country was never given a headstone.

"With many phone calls to ADF and visits to the RSL subbranch, I requested permission to have a headstone erected to acknowledge his life and service."

Mr Thomas' great uncles were also ANZACS and part of 38th Battery Field Artillery and Engineer Reinforcements.

He is an ex-third field engineer sapper but left the ADF after the loss of his wife, who was in the RAAF, to cancer at 27.

Mr Thomas said the bike had been built in memory of the sacrifices that service members had made and continue to make.

"The bike is a 2007 Super Glide / Wide Glide front end with a Heritage back end," he said.

"It has a new 1690cc motor with stage three put through it."

The bike has been sprayed with 2021 Ford Ranger blue and the artwork has been hand painted by the veterans, with the Ode on the tank, the Battle of Villers-Bretonneaux on one side and the charge of the Light Horse Brigade at the Battle of Beersheba.

The front guard has Lest We Forget and an Australian flag and the rear guard has Lest We Forget with a soldier and his rifle.

"I believe that no soldier should be forgotten," Mr Thomas said.

The bike will be auctioned off at Auction Centre Bundaberg this Saturday.

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