Brisbane local Rich Marchetta says it hit him in the heart when his great uncles - veterans of the world wars - were given military commemorations on their unmarked civilian graves. 

But it was only possible because of a government funded headstone project that has just suffered major funding cuts, delaying recognition for an estimated 12,000 WW1 veterans interred in civilian cemeteries nationally.

This is the latest instalment in a special 4BC Drive investigation raising awareness of cuts to the Private Graves Grants program.