Australian WWII - Far North Queensland Metal detecting and recovery

[AT P Sweep]

Ironically ~ I did a short Hunt during the week but basally the weather was not good to me with threat of rain ~ ~ or more like low flying cloud as is typical locally as we reside on the the very top of the Australian Great Dividing range.

Then brilliant Sunshine, dead calm and actually perspiring ~ and then back to drizzle and a cutting Winter breeze ~ essentially I headed hom to dive into a Hot shower to thaw out ~

Nut a short hunt with small returns but I did retrieve another Gas mask strap webbing Hook ~

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And another Snider Lee Enfield Mini ball that had obviously hit one the former hard wood trees not long gone ~ possibly 1890-1920 period ~

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FARIA VALLEY, NEW GUINEA, 1943-10-20. TROOPS OF THE 2/27TH AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION MAKE A FUSS OF "SANDY", A SCOUT DOG TRAINED BY THE UNITED STATES DOG DETACHMENT FOR THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY.

[lithgow]

All sides trained for gas warfare and produced large amounts of chemical weapons munitions 'just in case'-these were taken forwards to near the front so they'd be to hand if that side of war started up-see the Bari disaster in Italy when a US munitions ship blew up loaded with gas weapons on board -before and at the beginning of WW2 it was simply assumed that the same horrors of WW1 would occur again with the new addition of gas bombing of civilians in cities far from the front!
The main reasons it didn't occur was that it was more suited to static trench combat and that it was generally less effective against troops that were properly trained and equipped for defence against gas. The Germans did manage to come up with the brand new and highly nastily effective nerve agents though...

[AT P Sweep]

Yes I recall the Doco on the Italian harbour where they still to this day cannot dive or even swim in the water.. Very unfortunate indeed ~

[AT P Sweep]

The (NOS ) AASC badges turned up~ I decided not to pursue the cleaning of the original found badge as it has struggled under the prevailing condition ~

ATHERTON AREA, QLD. 27 th January 1945 (Local rifle range )

NUMBER 3 DETAIL 9 DIVISION, AUSTRALIAN ARMY SERVICE CORPS PARTICIPATING IN THE ELIMINATION SHOOT FOR THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING'S MEDAL AT THE ATHERTON RIFLE RANGE.

[AT P Sweep]

Fossick #511 + #512

Two hunts in the past week ten days ~ and trialling a new Pattern base don Park two and Field Two ~ using the Minelab recommendations and tweaking to suit ~

Well pleased with the results ~ first hunt was a tad lean but improved by far on the second ~

Walked past this cluster of Gum saplings for years and when I checked them out I find there good targets BELOW and around the roots ~

1942 Three pence ~ ANOTHER ( better ) Chinese Coin~ a damaged but very Cool solid Brass door or draw Lock

Damaged duffle bag lock ~ sad attempt at a ring ~ a Webbly .445 projectile ~ Commonwealth KG V Penny





The Chinese coin very much better than the previous first find ~

I soaked the Penny in WD 40 and the result is among the best I have had to date ~with Pennies!

Dug to Hong Kong for a wait for it 1954 1/2 penny ! (Wowo all sorts of dates and period found here ~ )

First Hunt ~ settings not tweaked quite right ~

Another Gas Mask Satchel hook ~ Plus another mini Ball projectile impacted ~ 1/2 Penny ~ cutlery Knife ~ not often find those as they rust away ~ a long time back ~ Variety ammo pouch studs ~

HERBERTON, ATHERTON TABLELANDS QLD. 17th August 19.

JEEP DRIVER IN DIFFICULTIES DURING A MOTOR TRANSPORT DRIVERS TRAINING COURSE AT HEADQUARTERS, AUSTRALIAN ARMY SERVICE CORPS, 6TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.

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[AT P Sweep]

I did some research on the Chinese presence in this area and it was quite strong and far beyond just Gold mining. They were disposed after WWI when the Soldier settler program after WWI ~


Impressive history overall and~ No wonder ~ we should be finding their lost coins ~

Page not found | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government ... e-heritage

The Tablelands were opened up by timber getters and tin miners. Landowners employed Chinese to clear the land and later leased property to them for cultivation.

The journey across the Tablelands to Innisfail offers beautiful natural attractions, including remnant volcanoes, crater lakes, waterfalls and amazing strangler fig trees, encapsulated in remnant rain forests.

On your way to Atherton, take a short detour via Kairi, driving past the maize silos. The Chinese initiated the maize industry here, although they were later displaced to provide land for returned WWI soldiers to farm.

The town of Atherton still retains Chinese shops, such as Jue Sue’s next to the Grand Hotel. Just south of the town are remarkable remnants of Chinese occupation, including the Hou Wang Miau Temple and the marked-out street scape of the old Chinatown.

A Chinese museum is housed in the old Atherton Post Office, relocated to the entrance of the former Chinatown (Cedar Town) site.

Continue to explore the beauty of the Atherton Tablelands on your way to Innisfail. The towns of Malanda and Millaa Millaa both have scenic waterfalls.

Descend the range through the thick rain forest and make a stop at Crawford’s Lookout. Take in the commanding views of the steep ravine of the Johnstone River on your left.

Both Chinese and European prospectors were busy panning for gold here in 1884.

As you leave the forest and head down towards Innisfail, the land now used for tea and bananas was cleared by Chinese labourers, who also worked on the big sugar plantations.

Innisfail evolved from a sugar plantation, established by James Fitzgerald in 1880. The Chinese community cultivated bananas and small crops for the township. Boats were built locally in traditional Chinese style and ferried bananas to ships anchored near the town.

The cyclone of March 1918 destroyed most buildings in Innisfail. The Lit Sing Gung Chinese temple, in the heart of Innisfail, was damaged and repaired, and eventually replaced by a new concrete building in Owen Street in 1941.

The temple is now an important tourist attraction.

[AT P Sweep]

A slow day at the Office ~ Fossick #513

( I was not even going to report in ~ )

Barely stopped raining all day at Malanda ~ when I left and when I returned ~

Once again decided late to head off and on site around 11:30

Rain stopped literally at the edge of town on the speed limit sign ~ and < 2:00 km> the Sun broke through ~ by Barrine turn off patches of Blue sky appeared . Even the roads were all dry all the way ~


Started in the car park again and once again it kicked off proceedings with the Glass stopper and a spill of 9 mm rounds.

I headed up the Hill to penetrate the bracken and reed grass ~ the only thing I found was detritus ~ copper wire ~ trashed choke cables and rotten 303 cartridge spill~

I worked gradually back down the hill toward the northern end ~ and the local steers literally followed me ~ even coming up real close to investigate proceedings.

Interestingly proceedings included considering checking or rechecking the fallen tree trunks armed with the new settings and three of the relics including a 380 Webbly round were under or tucked in real close to the log/s.


I headed back to the parking lot just in time to disarm and have a cuppa before the rain descended on me

Humble day ~ Really is getting thin on the ground now ~ I don’t believe there is much to be had on the top of the rise ~ Still have not found the concrete footings and slabs. ~ reported on the top of the Hill~ but that is typical ~ I have been told of Igloo/ Nissan huts concrete bunkers, even complexes in the Bush but have not seen all of these mythical buildings.

Clock coil spring ~

Great Metal detector found a glass bung ~ (LOL)

Teaspoon handle off cut..

A trio of coppers ~

A slow day but I will probably give a few more hits ~



HERBERTON, QLD. 1943-07-09. JEEP DRIVER IN DIFFICULTIES DURING MOTOR TRANSPORT DRIVERS COURSE AT HEADQUARTERS, AUSTRALIAN ARMY SERVICE CORPS, 6TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION. SHOWN, LEFT TO RIGHT: VX15613 LIEUTENANT D. E. HOWEY; NX55937 DRIVER (DR) W. R. SHYING; QX2196 CORPORAL C. J. KEEGAN; NX5842 DR R. D. HUNGERFORD.



08-06 1945. THE DUKW AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE WORKING WITH HQ COMMAND, AUSTRALIAN ARMY SERVICE CORPS, 6 DIVISION BEING USED FOR THE TRANSPORT OF SUPPLIES.

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[lithgow]

Umm..don't the Joe Blakes object to you poking around 'their' fallen logs?

[AT P Sweep]

Mate
Funny you say that ~ see my comment in the following Post ~

I did some research yesterday about Snakes in FNQ ~ I was in for shock on updated commentary ~ even though I have only ever seen one Red Belly Black in all my years of MD ~

But as mate said more like they scattered and you don't see them ~

I used to swing my pick against trees regularly ~ until the head dropped off one day ! LOL

As Ms M, my lady says ~ "How you tread on a snake if you are swinging a 1.5 m shaft with a coil on the end in front of you and dragging a spade with the other hand ??

[AT P Sweep]

Fossick #514

Reasonable start ~ finally fine weather ~

On site 11:30 ~ nice breeze and < 22 Deg> but out of the breeze very humid ~ and sweating with these new poly cotton Dutch Winter Military shirts.

I started on a section that "Keith" had slashed on the southern border next to his property~ having approval from him and Kathy~

A very old Horse shoe smack in the middle of the track ~

I found a rubbish dump ~ lots of ferrous iron and beer bottles ~not much else ~ Outside the slashing ~ far too heavy duty ~

I spent good 1 1/2 hours in the car park and was very frustrated with the patterns as they were ringing up rusty bolts ad nails as high tone targets ~ and there was no shortage with them ~ including Military a Star picket with the barbed wire clips. Nut too far gone to consider as an assert!

I found nothing of value and broke for Smoko and catch my breath before pushing on!

I headed up the hill and across the ~ the face with little to no result ~ More flare and rubbish signals ~ Lots of Detritus ~ nothing of quality ~

I worked to the northern end of the property~ and the creek ~ nothing ~ lots of false calls and I actually re-tweaked one of the patterns in the field ~ no improvement. One miserable 303 Blank cartridge~ and lots f detritus !

I bashed thru the under growth in what I now know is a false sense of security in the fact this is Winter and Joe Blakes Hibernate.

( I did some research yesterday and the updated comments say that Snakes in FNQ ~ Most ~ DO NOT HIBERNATE at all and simply shelter in the colder weather and come out again in the warmer days! Gulp!)

I started back ~ and it was then that I had a mini run of signals that firmly stated that the patterns were just Fine and the quality targets rang crisp ; loud and clear ~ NO mistaking !!

First a AMF button battle damaged ~ and meters on in the Heavy trodden grass ~ a '31 ' ~ Absolutely NO false signal here ! LOUD and clear !!!

Wow a Coin!

WOW A FLORIN ~ 1942.

I scanned the areas in each case but each target was a lonely soldier ~ several meters on a SUPERB Commonwealth KG V Penny ~ 1935.

I worked back the car and headed off Home 16:00

A Slow day ~ but the two coins made up for the sheer lack of Numbers ~

The Florin Clean up ~ What a Superb Coin they really are ~ Luv em ~

HERBERTON, FAR NORTH QLD. 1943-07-09. VX2083 DRIVER J. DEWAR AND NX12804 DRIVER H. C. SOLOMAN DOING THEIR TRIALS DURING A MOTOR TRANSPORT (MOTOR CYCLE) DRIVERS COURSE AT HEADQUARTERS, AUSTRALIAN ARMY SERVICE CORPS, 6TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION, WHILE NX26780 SERGEANT L. C. FLOOD LOOKS ON.