Opening fittingly on Anzac Day, the Lost Diggers of Weston exhibition consists of photographs enlarged from glass plate negatives produced by Scottish migrant photographer Alexander Galloway in 1916.

For nearly 100 years, they laid forgotten until a builder unearthed more than 400 glass plate negatives during the renovation of a home in Weston in 2011. He handed the collection over to the Coalfields Heritage Group.

And for the past 14 months - in partnership with Towns with Heart - they have laboured to restore and digitise the portraits, working at the Edgeworth David Memorial Museum.

Towns with Heart's Bill Holland said the portraits were all exceptional but exhibition organisers were drawn to the portraits of World War I Diggers - taken just prior to their departure for Europe.

"The vast majority of these boys are from the Coalfields. It was incredible," he said.

"We thought these men went off to war, and a lot of them didn't return home and then they sat under a house. We decided people need to hear their stories."

The two groups have prepared biographies of all soldiers they have been able to identify. It was a painstaking process with the would-be historians working "hammer and tongs" to discover the lives of the Diggers.

"We wouldn't change the experience and impact that this has had on all of us," Mr Holland said. "It's been absolutely phenomenal. So many people in their lifetime would never get the opportunity to do what we've done.

"We felt that we owe it to these people them, and their stories deserve to be told."

The group has prepared biographies on more than 20 of the 60 plus soldiers.

Coalfields Heritage Group member Lexie Matthews said they hoped the exhibition would help identify the remaining Diggers.

"We have had contact with people from all over the world. We want to find our their stories too," she said.

The exhibit, located at Kurri Kurri Anglican Church Hall, will run for just four days from April 25 to April 28.

But the group hasn't stopped there.

The project has certainly leapt off the pages for the group, with all the volunteers dedicating hours and hours of their time for researching.

Now, the local detectives are quick to share a tale of the bravery and love of these veterans for both their country, community and families.

They said researching and writing about the Diggers had "moved them" and one their favourites was the devotion of Kurri Kurri resident George Hodge to his family.

George enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1915 - just months after his daughter Mona was born.

He was sent to Liverpool for training and a short time later, the regiment was give two weeks leave before their departure to the frontlines in Europe.

George couldn't afford the train fare back to Kurri Kurri from Liverpool so he walked more than 150 kilometres to say goodbye to his family.

But the man behind the camera is just as fascinating.

Alexander Galloway was born on February 6, 1876 in Glasgow, Scotland, and made for Australia in 1884. He eventually set up photographic studios in Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, Weston and Maitland.

"He was an entrepreneur," Mr Holland added.

Galloway also helped establish the Chamber of Commerce in Kurri Kurri, and owned a "picture theatre" that could seat up to 5000 people in the township.

And if they hadn't done enough, the group decided they wanted to recognise other local soldiers.

They are placing Australian flags on hundreds of soldiers graves in Kurri Kurri cemetery in recognition of their sacrifice and contribution to the nation's history.

As for the future of the Lost Diggers of Weston?

"We are hoping this becomes a traveling exhibition so people can read the stories of ordinary men who did something extraordinary with their lives," Mr Holland added.

"After all, the ode says lest we forget."