Australian WWII - Far North Queensland Metal detecting and recovery

[AT P Sweep]

My mate and fellow ( registered) Collector is always trading lots ~ and when he trades a job lot ~ he sometimes finds he has scored a lot he is not into ~


So eh trades with me and as he said last week ~ "I figured I don't want these ~ I know a bloke who would like these ~ !!" and as he said ~ "Just liek I know you like them ~ GREEN" LOL

French 7.62 round and slipper ~ ( Before and after shot ~ )

And a Bonus deal ~ I was only talking to a MD mate in Brisbane this last week and we agreed that we would really like to dig a Boyes Anti-tank case/ round ~

i have dug off cuts and battle damaged and off cuts of Boyes but never an in tact round!

Then Blow me down 24 Hours later ~ Mate announced he had picked up a container of .50 cal Browning shell cases and amongst the lot was ~

SYRIA. 1941-12. TWO MEMBERS OF THE 6TH DIVISION CAVALRY REGIMENT TRAINING IN THE SNOW IN THE BAALBEK VALLEY. CORPORAL E.B. QUIRK AND TROOPER H.R. LAW EXAMINE A BOYES ANTI-TANK RIFLE IN THE BITTER SYRIAN WEATHER.

[AT P Sweep]

Well been a Hell of a 10 days ~

A brand new region ~ Again a WWII Camp site ~ And some fabulous finds if only in moderation ~

Rob and I ventured in a initial recce with good results ~ But frustrating ~ no silvers !

One almost immediate find was a Large platform ~ Some debate regarding an obvious artillery or heavy vehicle platform and targeting of the distant hill/s which is Known as a target area during the war years as target site.

But then there were not a lot of Hills on thre Tablelands that were not targets ~

I have coven told of a Mythical "Pyramid" of spent Smoke shells on this particular Hill/s

Aust 2-3 Field Artillery 25 pdr Crew manoeuvre teir gun on the Gun Platform Wewak_1945

Wwe went on to find many terraced areas which would have been tent sites ~

We moved around and made some positive finds ~

I dug a Webbing belt buckle which I have never seen although I knew of ~ Even my Dutch connection assured me has never found one either ~

The Twin pin Belt buckle ~ which turned out to be part of an Officer's Belt and "harness" set up ~ Knew of it but never seen one ~ these I am aussured are a "Sam Brown Officer's ~

(Being badly bent and I nervously torched it and straightened it~ I am now in the process of restoring it ~ after all I have not seen one before!)

Hytest pick head

Grease Gun 45 Cal Sub machine gun ~ Hmm Think not ~

The tag turned into the find of the day when I realized that it was factory stamped ~ No7 Mk III F&B ~

The F&B factory made optical lens ~

But itis amazing co-incidence that I found a Type 7 MK III gun sight insert only end of last year ~ and now i find a factory brass label !

The Bottle cleaned up ~ Impressive ~ Flat externals but concave internally~

Next report on # 457 ~

2,470

[reneblacky]

G'day AT, that buckle comes off one of these.

[AT P Sweep]

cheers mate ~ Always appreciate the Feedback ~

[AT P Sweep]

Fossick ~ 45 7

Well I best Endeavour to brig the Reports up to date as I am heading out every 3-4 days and would be more if SWMBO was not resistant ~ about never being at Home and to the bush !!

Two man Hunt in the new grounds ~ Earlier start ~ Perfect weather!

The relics started almost immediately with SS digging ~ Yes~ and RS (collar) ~ DM was being quiet on the UHF communications device!

We broke for Smoko and I was pleasantly surprised to find Dwayne ahd scored not only Two Rising Suns (Collar) but a Hat badge ~

To my Delight ~ the never seen before Sam Brown Officer's belt buckle ~ I dug another one ~

The I couped a very nice ~ intact undamaged SMLE Oiler tube ~ Additionally I found some five Aust Military Forces Tunic Button ~ but these ALL had the split pins intact ~ again I have never seen that !

Plus an Officer's single Pip and a damaged Major's shoulder Badge ~ sadly ~ But I have dug two of these this year so not quite as damaging to the Ego!

Firslty my oiler tube was manufactured in the UK, between 1914 and 1918 ~ and SH &S GB for use in the SMLE MKIV ~

( In WWI Australia shipped large quantities of 303 SMLE Mk III to the UK ~ At the nd of the War UK sent a lot back to Australia ~ So Australian produced very few Mk IV as the numbers of Mk III were more than adequate. I amy stand corrected here ! LOL )

It was turning into a brilliant day ~ We pushed onto < 15:30 > when Dwayne was due home to celebrate his Birthday with Family ~

But the Best was yet to come when we both cleaned up the finds at home ~

So then Dwayne announced that his Hat Rising Sun ( in amazing condition was "Voided" ~ which means that the centre directly bellow the Crown and the centre scrolling is not filled in ~

Turns out it was also made in the UK during WWI ~ and best we can surmise that this was issued in WWI to an Australian Digger who then returned to active duty in WWII.



So a Great day with each of us bringing ho me a 100 years old relics from WWI !! Frustrating though and definitely unusual ~ no Silvers!!

Even more amazing was that Dwayne opened a OS package he received and only opened after this Hunt ~ He is a Dedicated Collector of Australian Military badges ~ and to his delight there was another same 'Voided' RS ~ He did not see it in the lot he bought on line as the lighting was not to good ~

So a Great day with each of us bringing hoe a 100 years old relics from WWI !!

The Enamel Mug is in amazing condition and Stamped on the Bottom with the Dept Defence logo ~

[lithgow]

The No 4 rifle was never produced here-The No. 1 remained in production here till 1945 and a further test batch of 1,000 were made in the early 1950s to test the machinery in case Korea went 'worldwide'-a small number of No. 4s were sent here in error and issued to the RAAF for use inside Australia during WW2-some were issued for use by Britain to Australian troops in Malaya postwar to standardise with British troops who were exclusively using the No.4 and No.5 Jungle Carbine by then. Lithgow developed the experimental No.6 Jungle carbine based on the No.1 action late war 'coz that's what we made and used. This is my SMLE 1916 RSAF Enfield, sent to Australia post WW1, used in WW2 and then sent through Lithgow refurbishing in 1947 to await the call for WW3...

[AT P Sweep]

Wednesday ~

Decided to do a Team Hunter with DM ~Rob is MIA again ~

10:00 Start~ Tuesday was blowing a gale ~ Weds was not too bad ~

Started out well ~

I was determined to work back toward an adjoining older camp region ~ and th e first thing I find is an Enamel Service Mug ~ but sadly not a shade on the one Dwayne foudn the previous hunt ~ It had holes and no handle ~

We geared up ad headed out ~ Even more concrete slabs ~ Holy Semolly ~ they sure did build some :"huts" !

More concrete slabs and footings ~and even a Toilet block with drains ~

We ranged through the area with mixed ~ result ~ Smoko 13:30 and kicked on till 15:45 and headed back ~

I Luv the Trench art Chevron ~ #003 Rising Sun

Shield medallion ~ No engraving ~ Suggest painted image ~ After some debate we agree it is a Red Shield Salvation army ~ I found a bottom dump or pit very close by so assume is a Canteen.
Tidy AMF button ~

Yet another AMF tunic button with split pin in situ !

Coppers not too shabby ~ KGV 1921 and KG VI 1944

Dwayne's efforts for the day ~

[BlackCat1982]

Great couple of hunts AT, glad you were allowed out to play!

[AT P Sweep]

glad you were allowed out to play!

LOl Yes well as tomorrow ~ soem days oen has to put the foot doen and just announce "THIS IS THE PALN for tomorrow ! "

Perfect weather in Far North QLD ! Ideal but the ground is as cracker ~the ground is so Dry I find I getting good at balancing myself on the spade with both feet and full body straight to get the first cut in ~

But that aside this has to be one of Favourite finds oof the latest couple of Hunts ~

Just Luv it ~

[AT P Sweep]

Lithgow ~ I was hoping you might clarify the issue over Mk IV and III~ Cheers ~