Australian WWII - Far North Queensland Metal detecting and recovery

[lithgow]

Uniforms had to be debadged prior to laundering-plenty of opportunities for loss over time!

[AT P Sweep]

lithgow

A good input which I never considered ~ But many badges have no mount pins ~ or single pins ~ Okay the badges I find with the split pins intact may be a different deal ~but an intriguing scenario suggestion all round ~

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[lithgow]

Also a strong probability that badges were wrenched off during activities like getting in and out of vehicles, camp furniture, moving at speed through vegitation etc-the weight of a man will mean either the badge or uniform will fail leaving the badge off it! Many moons ago I did a camp at Burlong near Northam that involved a lot of lessons in lecture rooms with folding metal chairs that seemed perfectly designed to rip the button of the rear trouser belt loop off when you got up or shifted on the seat-over 2 weeks every one in the course lost at least one button that way (starched greens made the thread brittle).

[MAP]

Thanks guys. I have just always wondered why.

[AT P Sweep]

Another thing too is that when I come across a single spot that has < 7 AMF Buttons > or a spot that has a Rising sun with pins and split plus chin strap buckles ~ that tells em that the item was dumped..

And I assume in August 1945 or later they were discharged/ demobbed~ and sent home many Diggers simply dropped the gear on the ground and walked ~

[AT P Sweep]

Fossick #500

Saturday ~ Forecast wide spread showers and wind Gusts~

Sketchy at Best first thing but Looked good as time ticked on ~

I Talked with Robert about the Options ~

So a bench Mark ~ Fossick #500 ~ taken almost 7 years ~ but made it ~ I often wondered if I would make that mark ~

I left it late but the weather was perfect and I headed off after Midday~

Went slow- mo again today and dug almost every signal and again it paid off ~

I revisited a favourite spot and it delivered again with a a Trench art coin ~ a AMF button ~ a US Army belt buckle and a Silver 1917 Shilling ~ and a 1917 Commonwealth Penny in amazing condition which is a rare event in itself ~ ANd another Letter opener ~ maybe two in fact!

Took me around 3 hours including then work back again ~ and I timed it Perfectly ~ again ~ as the rains Poured down as I reached The Highway turn off all the way home.


Pushing on ~ I dug a Dam~ 12 Gauge Shotgun Barrel/ set and what I thought was 2 Pdr. Solid shot AP projectile!.

I am fully intending to approach the local Constabulary to ensure that despite the totally unserviceable condition of the barrel that I am not out of bounds having it ~ Never know with the letter of the law/s !

I have an abundance of Molasses ~ so into the tube ~

[AT P Sweep]

Weather closed in again all proceedings closed down ~ certainly self isolated when out in the fields with this Virus BS ~

I did the research and spoke at length with Friend Gus at JAG in Tolga ~ Gun Smith ~

“You are allowed to have any number of barrels ~ but as soon as you have the Receiver you are in a World of Pain ~ “

So back into the Barrel of Molasses ~

[AT P Sweep]

Well confirmed that in our state i can have as many barrels as I like in any state ~or even a Magazine ~ but as soon as collect or dig a "collector" or "Receiver" ~ I am in World of pain ~

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[AT P Sweep]

Fossick #501

Weds: Forecast ~ showers ~

Raining early cleared around 09:00 ~ I headed off 10:30 ~

Perfect Day ~ strong southerly breeze kept proceedings well cool !

The area where you found your Shilling Terry~ either side where found your Shilling and up the slope is peppered with hordes or signals from bullet shells and the smalls I found today !

Left the Axe ~ Got far too many and they are usually rust buckets ~

I spent some two hour on the side of the slopes ~ wrestling with the Grass and eye peeled for Joe Blokes as usual~

I head this little Bugger~ ( 1921 Three pence) for nearly ten Minutes plus ~

At 13:000 I rang M for a chat and she said she would send good Karma of good find/s ~

Blow me down some 15 Mins. later ~ Nox went off like a car alarm ~ 33~ Woo Hoo~

A 1943 Florin ~ almost immaculate out of the ground.

The I took no more than 3 paces toward the edge drop off into the creek bed ~ Another 33 ~

No way ~ Get Outa HERE!

Yep ANOTHER Florin ~ 1917~

Made to match the Shilling and the Penny I found last trip ~ all three are 1917s! COOL!

I also worked the same spot I found the Letter Openers ~ last trip ~ and Blow me down!

Two more and a Guitar pick all made from Brass ~ I think someone was trench-art-ing letter openers ~ and Pick, LOL ~


Home ~ 15:30 ~ and again just before the rain closed down proceedings ~
The projectile is curious as it has been cut of a larger caliber and slotted on the base ~ too large for a 303 and wrong shape.

Another Service ribbon mount plate ~ Another Major’s badge backing plate~

I even daresay that the same bloke dropped both of these Florins! `
Had not seen a Florin for three and a half yeas and now ~ I am up to Three in the last month!

Top~ A Military Service ribbon backing plate ~

The three coins ~ Silvers

A Guitar pick

Backing plate for a Major's badge ~ second one found here ~Service typical African Star ~ issued to service men and Woman who served in North Africa in WWII

Mysterious Bullet head ~ Not 303 ~ and slotted ~ been cut off a larger projectile ~

Brass Nut and trouser Button ~

Previous letter openers and those found yesterday ~

Lockwood padlock ~

Slivers cleaned up ~

The 1917 Florin is extremely badly worn on the face ~ which is very typical of the period Silver as ther silver content was very high around 95%

Almost a Full house ~ all 1917 ~ just need a 1/2 penny and a Sixpence for a Full House ! May even have the in my stocks.

Don’t generally bring ferrous steel but this is very intriguing ~

Has some sort of embossing on the top and found smack in the middle of a camp detritus and relics and a spill of 303s (really rotten cartridges obviously under water at the highest tide mark ) plus another spill of square < 5/16” > nuts ~ typical of the 1940s!

ATHERTON TABLELAND, QLD. 21st-12 1944-.

THE BATTALION GUARD PLATOON, 2/27 INFANTRY BATTALION BEING INSPECTED BY WARRANT OFFICER'S FROM THE 9 DIVISION DURING THE PLATOON DRILL CONTEST.

THEY WERE WINNERS OF THE EVENT ARRANGED DURING THE DIVISIONAL SPORTS MEETING BY HQ 7 DIVISION AT KAIRI SPORTS GROUND.




KAIRI AREA, ATHERTON TABLELAND, QLD. 1944-09-08.

TROOPS OF D COMPANY, 2/14TH INFANTRY BATTALION NEGOTIATE A DIFFICULT ROCKY CREEK BED AS THEY MOVE TO AN "ATTACK AREA".

IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL ARE:- VX7561 SERGEANT J.D. SATORI (1); NX46599 PRIVATE G.K. SAUL (2).

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[AT P Sweep]

As most with the Current Lock down I have been sending times cleaning and reorganising the Relics and displays ~ ven strippign ut the Draws and revamping ~

Here in Queensland Australia we have partial lifting of restrictions as of Sat 2 May ~ so back to the trenches for a Fix ~

( QLD has had NO new cases for some 5-6 days now ! )

The Bofors + two Pdr. cases ~ pre clean

I re-cleaned an rearranged my Razor collection ~ came up real ~



Some may recall some time back I was chasing a weapon which I thought just maybe this piece was a priming lever for a weapon ~ Nope! It is a section from a Razor handle!

Gave the Fire extinguisher a final scrub up and clean coat ~

April 25th is our National Remembrance day ~ ANZAC DAY ~

LEST WE FORGET ~

ANZAC Day 1919 London ~ A Digger assists a comrade who was severely injured in the War ~ to view the ANZAC parade ~

The ANZAC parade moves past Australia House in London 1919.

Anzac Day April 25th Far North Queensland. There were no permitted parades or remembrance meetings and those that wished made their own tribute at their Dwelling ~

Our front lawn and a Neighbour made simply tribute ~

Additionally ~ a privateer and owner flew his Spitfire build over our village ~ three times over our flags ~