Australian WWII - Far North Queensland Metal detecting and recovery

[BlackCat1982]

Great finds again AT P, love the ID tag, exciting find.

[AT P Sweep]

Fossick #537


(STOP the World we want to get off!)

Well after following two elections ~ we decided we anted Time out ~

So I headed out and M headed of to Town ~ Pleasant change in the weather with a high of 27 ~ but fairly brisk winds !


I spent some 4 Hours working the area and feel that even in the worked and upper ground there is STILL relics to be had.

With excellent results ~

Top left ~ another crush 25 Pdr. #113 Smoke or contact fuze guard.

Two thimbles crushed

Lower centre ~ a Maker's marked fuel tank filler cap fro a primus style stove or lamp ~ " “Brisbane / Handy”

The spark plug is logoed “Dynamic Leggetts”

Lower right ~ ACP 45 W.R.A.CO ( Very clean)

Lower ~ .22 Case with mid groove ~ ??

Seven AMF buttons ~ all with loops





Mid centre ~ ?? has embossing ~
centre ~ centre section Collar Rising Sun section!
Collar / Beret RS ~ clearly embossed ~ “General Plastics” (Sydney ) rare badge ~ (No pins)
Major’s lapel badge ~ with both pins (??)



Australian Twenty Five Pounder gun crew in training on Atherton tabelands Queensland 1944

[Ubique]

I wonder what the plan was for the cropped collar? Maybe a backing for a sweetheart badge?

[AT P Sweep]

yes one does wonder what the plan was !

[AT P Sweep]

Misc Clean Up to Hunt #537

Top left : Handi stove fuel tank cap ~ embossed : Handi / Brisbane

Buckles ~ 303 projectile ~ 303 Blank cartridge ~ WRACC ACP 45 round ~ ( rare to find one intact and able to handl being cleaned they often fall apart.)

Major's badge ~ first one I have cleaned up ~Rising Sun : General Plastics (Sydney ) rare find.

Mystery item with embossing pattern at bottom ~

Top right ~ another Gas Mask carry bag buckle~

The Bung is a pearler and has extensive talk ~ "Made in Australia ~ Eyelets Pty Ldt Melbourne . " )

(Obviously expanded their market to include 'liquid fuel pressure stoves' ~ as below !)






Vintage "Handi" Portable stove



Diggers on training exercise wit their Two Pounder Gun/s ~ Kairi Atherton Tablelands 1944.

[AT P Sweep]

Well after our water Heater died ~the Plumber asked us to clear out the (mini) workshop to access the Heater ~

So we had a impromptu Spring clean ~. Then I decided to do a clean out of the 50-60 litre plastic storage bins ~ into three section including Relics and Md ~

I found this ~ ( I recall finding it some time back but it had slipped thru the cleaning net or brushed aside by a busy schedule of Hunts ~LOL)

With assist and confirmation we agree this local find is in fact a German Wehrmacht standard Button ~

Hermann Aurich, Dresden.

Would assume a souvenir by an Australian Digger~ bought back to Australia and discarded ~

One more classic example of Never discard ANYTHING ~
Until you Know for sure!

TOBRUK, LIBYA. 1941. AN AUSTRALIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICER CHATTING WITH GERMAN PRISONERS OF WAR, MEMBERS OF THE AFRIKA KORPS, IN THE P.O.W. CAGE NEAR EL ADEM AIRFIELD.

[AT P Sweep]

Another Mystery item identified ~


Well Number three mystery time identified after the clean up - on going!

Some Time ago I found a small hatch /lid. Originally I thought may have been a single cylinder tappet/ rocker cover from a Military vehicle engine.

But then during the Great Spring clean up I spotted where this came from ~ It is a Battery cover or support for a radio ~

I have a damaged chassis found also several years ago ~ from one of the SCR-536 radios used during WWII by the US and Aust armies.

I also realised I have at least one speaker from one of these as well ~

NORTH OF CAIRNS, QLD. 1944-08-24. WX9450 SERGEANT T.D. MAIN (1) OPERATING A SCR-536 WALKIE-TALKIE RADIO, WATCHED BY ONE OF THE UMPIRES, DURING THE 24TH INFANTRY BRIGADE INVASION EXERCISE.

[AT P Sweep]

I deliberately skipped Fossick #538

As I found a relevant piece which I was determined to clean up and restore before reporting!

It was a very early start as I had woken at 05:30 and decided to take advantage of that ~

The Clear bottle is heavily embossed " Pick Me Up ~ property of PMU co Sydney AUSTRALIA 1932"



Extended perio of metal stripping rust treatment and bogging and sanding ~ never thought it woudl take so long to clean up and finally paint ~

This piece is Bakelite with a inner brass case and twp hols in the Base?? It has a map of Australia and kngaroo cast over the top of the map?

NX37175 PRIVATE HAROLD ABBOTT (FRONT) OPERATING A RADIO SET IN THE FIELD. FROM 1944 TO 1946 ABBOTT WAS AN OFFICIAL AUSTRALIAN WAR ARTIST. DONOR: G. ABBOTT




TOBRUK, LIBYA. 1941-08-27. A SIGNALLER OF 9TH DIVISION SIGNALS WORKING WITH A FIELD WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY SET.

[AT P Sweep]

The Great Spring Clean out ~ ~ yet again ~

After cleaning out the work shop I started on the Garden shed ~ which is a whole story of Motorcycle parts and Metal detecting relics ~ all jumbled together ~

So I had three plastic bins ~ Bike parts ~ MD relics and nmisc ~

The first bin o I am sorting thru trays the first one I get down to smalls and Buttons. And I suddenly find a stud which I assuem was typical of those found on the Australian webbing pouched ~ but I realise that it has a pattern on it ~

What the !?? I look closely and Blow me down it has an eagle on it ~ US Army ~ the COntinental stamp ~ and then worse still I spot a US 13 Star stud.

Well ~ I went inside and said to Ms m ~ "please give me an upper cut!"


I can only suggest that I had found these and they were merely bypassed and dumped into tray ~ what my working shift work and many days MD they were both side tracked and not even noticed. As I recall where I found the 13 star stud ~ inthe same place a US M1 Carbine 30 cal round. so i am assuming that the stud was also found and as suggested passed off as a AUst army pounch stud.

Slap !!!

( I actually met a family in the bush on my most recent Hunt ~ and her father was a US Army member based in nearby Atherton during the War. He obviously married an Australian girl~ more evidence of US Army presence.)

( So now I have found some 5 13 star stud ~ the US Army stud ` ~ Plus definitely / positive US Army dress button/s plus belt and webbing buckles ~ So the Americans were here ~

So starting to sound like the story of the Great Britain buttons ~ )

3,756

[AT P Sweep]

The Great Relic Recovery November 2020.


Yet ANOTHER lost relic recovery of a lost / bypassed relic found in the Great Relic Recovery in our recent Spring clean ~

A Smoke Shell 4 .5 Inch 1940 ~ shell case backing plate ~


Plus the Two spikes found in recent Hunts ~