Great posts Sweep.
Did the enamel mug have the D/l\D on the base? I have a good one but had to purchase it (from the Bendigo swap meet several years ago).
Oz.
Great posts Sweep.
Did the enamel mug have the D/l\D on the base? I have a good one but had to purchase it (from the Bendigo swap meet several years ago).
Oz.
Ubique
Nah ! First thing I looked for ~ only seen on come out with the logo on it ~ In fact I have only ever dug one fork with the Dept Defence logo ~
NO shortage on logo'ed Water drum bungs though !!
Worked till midnight each night this week ~ bed around 01.00 ~ up at 07.15 ~ as predicted prefect day and it held up all day ~
Off around 08.15 to meet with Terry ~ Terry there earlier and was off for a ‘local ‘ Hunt till I arrived ~
Problem was I was ready but ~ no Terry ~ Obviously off on his own !
Eventually I rallied him up around 09.30 ~
We headed off and aimed our sights for several new sites ~ ALL looked very promising ~ We felt very confident as there were some period type beer bottle fragments scattered around and the landfall was extremely conducive to a camp site of WWII being very flat and a lot of regrowth!
MALANDA AREA, QUEENSLAND. 1944 12 16. CORPORAL E J NEWTON, 7 DIVISION PROVOST COMPANY, (2), ON DUTY AT A BAILEY BRIDGE CONSTRUCTED OVER MAUDE'S CREEK NEAR SPRING. ( Newton chats to a bewildered local about the appearance of the bridge virtually overnight! 084288 )
So we geared up with high hopes ~ It soon became very apparent ~ very quickly that these two areas were going to be a fail !
Tere no finds short of a few 303 cases and a Dept Defence period water drum bung~
After an hour or so we reassessed the situation and agreed the area was too clean ~ which we agreed was bulldozed the entire area cleared for potential development ~ and most likely the residue trucked way and dumped who know where ~
The fact that there were no large tree trunks even remaining was another tell tale sign ~ the point being that in most camp sites there are always large tree trunks usually hand sawn off back in the day !
So eventually we moved to old grounds to try our luck again ~
We eventually worked several camp sites and managed a few bits and pieces which made for another good day with Mates.
The small mug is intriguing as it is either pewter or aluminium ~ perhaps a rum shot mug (?) I plan on cleaning it up ~
KAIRI, QUEENSLAND. 1944-12-01. 225 FIELD PARK COMPANY, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ENGINEERS TROOPS ADJUST TACKLES BEFORE LAUNCHING DURING THE EXPERIMENTAL CONSTRUCTION OF A BAILEY BRIDGE. THE BAYS SHOWN ARE THOSE ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED TO TAKE A TRACTOR.
I may possibly know what that mug is. Is there sign of a handle having been fitted?
Oz.
Yes there is indeed ~ please enlighten, mate ~I may possibly know what that mug is. Is there sign of a handle having been fitted?
Oz.
Well, if the internal dimensions of your mug are close to 41mm diameter by 35mm high then what you have is the cup which fits on the spout of a medics water bottle. Medics bottles are much bigger than standard issue bottles and come with a cup for giving the sick and wounded a drink in a sanitary fashion. I have attached a photo of my medics water bottle (which ironically is missing its cup).
Cheers,
Oz.
Well that's impressive , Oz ~
Mine is 35 mm wide at the top and 55 mm deep ~ but that fits ~ as I also found in the same immediate area a identity tag , one JH Watson and he was part of a Field Medico / Ambulance crew !
I guess the different manufacturers probably had slightly different dimensions. The dog tag is a great link to the site.
Oz.
Well~ If it was not for your deligence we would not have been any the Wiser ~ thanks Oz
I am really stoked on this one ~ but put the fact that the ID tag was found within metres of the cup ~ right!?
Now flash to the service record of the Digger ~ joined 1940 ~ discharged 1945!!
2 /11 Field Ambulance
The 2/11 served throughout North Africa and Palestine ~ so lets assume the bottle and mug were Watson’s ~ this Digger saw very real and active service ~ I wonder how many Diggers were given a swig of water from this mug ~ after they had taken a hit !! ?
Almost a Holy Grail here ~
WESTERN DESERT, EGYPT. 22nd July 1942. WALKING WOUNDED BEING HELPED OUT OF THE AMBULANCE ON THE LEFT AT THE 2/11TH AUSTRALIAN FIELD AMBULANCE, WITH A STRETCHER CASE IN THE FOREGROUND. 024636.JPG
I was more than a little inspired to get out there yesterday and find some more 'gems', but not to be as the 35 deg heat again coupled with high humidity beat me ~
But hey ~ not a total loss ~
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