Australian Story: Nov 22

ABC revisits an Australian Story report on Adelaide’s unidentified “Somerton Man”, found dead on a beach in 1948.

After more than 70 years, one of Australia’s most enduring mysteries – the identity of the “Somerton Man” – is finally solved.

When an unidentified man was found dead on an Adelaide beach in 1948, it was the start of one of Australia’s most baffling cold cases.

Simply known as the “Somerton Man”, he was found with no documents on him and the labels ripped from his clothes. With the Cold War as a backdrop, the mystery inspired rumours and theories around the world. Was he a spy? A ballet dancer? A jilted lover?

Now DNA technology and forensic genealogy has finally solved the case and in an absorbing Australian Story the researchers behind this remarkable achievement reveal how they identified the man.

“He turned out to be a chap called Charles Webb, who had no date of death details,” explains Adelaide University Professor Derek Abbott. “He’d just gone off the radar after 1947.”

Professor Abbott tracked down Webb’s relatives and confirmed their kinship with DNA tests. One of them provided Australian Story with the first photos of Charles Webb when he was still alive.

While mystery still surrounds how Webb came to be found dead on an Adelaide beach, his relatives say they are pleased the man finally has a name … and a family.

“Imagine, this guy has been sitting there for 70 odd years and no one knew who he was… you’re related to one of the great mysteries of Australia and indeed the world,” says relative Antero Bonifacio.

8pm Monday on ABC.