Mate
I have the Clasp Knife in the Vinegar right now ~ as you probably aware it is a very slow process ~ so simply have to cross th e fingers ~
I suggested the bottles were tablet s such as Quinine or such and maybe snap lids rather than one use only ~
I would have been happy to keep digging them to be honest ~ But seem to be rather fragile glass.~ to be carried in the field ~
The spikey thing, is known as a Marlin Spike and is used to help work the ends of rope etc.
Cheers Mike
Fossick #563
Raining right across the Tablelands and even more serious rain on the Coast ~ suggested Thursday but we agreed to give Weds a bash ~ I even rang local tavern ad talked to them about the weather in the area ~
So we met up and headed off around 07:00 ~ throwing it down locally . We both considered cancelling but there we were!
We agreed what the Hell if it is raining up stairs we will just come home ~
But it was excellent once we ascended into the high lands ~ Rob took his Pajero and it was coated in dust on the rear end ~ Light mist off and on all day ~
Grass varied from scant to dense and even impenetrable ~ We started on the flat ground ~ searching for the known Target practice artillery trenches. I always thought there were two but today we accounted for no less than 5 ~
They usually run around 6-8 m and 1.5 m wide and < .50 cm> deep . They would run a target back and forth via a heavy tri twist cable ~ some lengths of cable still found.
Rob examines evidence left ~
The steel bar has been hit by projectiles bending and tearing a piece out of the bar ~ Very Old Spade blade !
The gradient is petty full and extremely rough going ~ the grass hiding the many many rocks ~ and extremely hard going ~ Don't think we will not be going back to this area ~
Lost count of the number of times I went A/Up!
After 3-4 hours we returned to the car and broke for smoko proper and then decided to check ground further west ~ but it was massively over grown and raining lightly which made traversing the creek bed extremely precarious ~ so we called it a day ~ Home 16:00.
Another Great day ~
I think the disc is actually part of a mortar or shell fuze
WILD RIVER RANGE, QUEENSLAND. 1945-01-05. NO. 3 GUN, F TROOP, 2 7 FIELD REGIMENT AWAITING ORDERS TO FIRE.
Don't leave that horseshoe upside down AT P otherwise all your good luck will drain away! Another good hunt, challenging terrain.
LOL
Yes BC I realised ~ and I plan to return and pick upthe old spade and the impacted sttel bar as we planning another hunt this week ~ We have expanded our battle plan and this time Mate Rob is going to take the ATP as he fell short refusing my offer to set him up ~
Part two of the clean up ~ ( ANDA 25 Pdr AP work in progress! ~ still~ )
I noted one banding frag has "talk" :- A 2 IV 0 3 7
I may stand corrected but my research suggests that this was a 3.7" Mountain Gun. Used thruough the war and was onlycarded in 1960!
QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzer - Wikipedia
Additionally several we have not seen previously based on the internal castings
9,847
Last edited by AT P Sweep; 07-06-2021 at 04:50 AM.
Clean up $563 The two pounders.
A great result on the Two Pdr.s after a week of soaking inthe "Snake Oil"
These I will soka again for finish off a great rsult ~ and then pain ~ nothing more !
The ;arge farg 25 Pdr. or better I am planning along with another large frag I dug this week ~ I will paint he inside red and the outside the traditional 25 Pdr. Yellow.
I also have another alrger frag which I am treating ~
The Six Pdr. has not faired quite so well ~ and will require much more TLC.
Fossick #565
The Recce ~ Ten days ago we decided to do a scout about in the Bush ~ No detectors ~ No digging tools as this is National Park ~ just a look around.
We were told of a area which was not on any map ~ and no references. I did heaps of research ~ and it was only when I discovered All trails web site that I found any reference to a historical area.
This area was used as WWII training area ~
We actaull foudn evidence of diggings recent ~ soem en was MD here and there !
We headed off using the access track/s. I used my GPS as a reference but the information supplied contradicted my research.
We parked headed bush ~ Rob and I spent some three hours scouting the area~ amazing we found some evidence of occupation but by whom ~ we had no idea ~ But one area suggested hard core mining as they moved a mountain of stones ~ by hand(?)
We eventually returned with no evidence of any positive Military presence.
More research required ~ but of little value if it is deemed illegal to fossick !
1,058
Fossick #566
No place for Old Men ~
Weds: I was up briefly at midnight and it was pouring rain ~
Usual routine ~ Grey skies but looking good for a sunny day ~ we rallied at 07:00 ~ and off ~ as we ascended into the high ground the clouds once again rolled way ad a clear day was on!
We had a plan but almost from the Get go we were on the back foot as the ground thought as we were some 20 plus meters above the level of the dry river bed ~
We parked after crossing a flat ground with a slight gradient~
I had plotted the plan ~ based on Google Earth ~ We were digging targets almost beside the car ~ but little did we realise we had ascended onto a Plateau ~ with sheer sides dropping to the river 30 M below and 45+ deg slopes below ~
BUT I did not consider the topography ~ after alI had been to this area some years ago and it had been burnt off and was all in my mind's eye as being essentially flat ground. Oh how wrong ~ how the memory played tricks on me !
The theory was that we would simply walk across the river ( in hindsight and reassessment ~ at 60o m ) and then ascend onto the opposite side and onto what I recalled a open level ground as far as the eye could see!
The fact that there was once a railway that ran dead straight across this plain ~ suggested open flat ground ~ the railway was torn up in 1939 for scrap at the beginning of WWII.
The drop at the creek was a sheer drop and we were scoring numerous targets including 2 Pdr.s and frags ~ also sighted wee smoke canisters and misc. fuze frags.
Extensive from work from the Colonial mining days ~ Timber boards ~ which I think part of the railway !
Wew had a short smoko before pushing on ~ but we agreed to assail hill immediately in front of us ~ is was like looking at a massive basket ball!
And to add further damage to the ego I dug a six Pdr. projectile at the river edge before beginning the climb~ So i am already carrying < 12 Pounds on weights i the Back pack .
The only safe way was to zig zag but half way up t was obvious tat a simple slip would end in tears!
Does not look much but the Bowling ball is < 40 plus m> higher than creek level ~ at < 730 > m !
We worked across the southern face ~ By then I was fully loaded and I weighed the back pack when I got home 15 Kg ~ plus kit!
After a good hour we returned to the creek further up stream absolutely Knackered ~
We rested before heading back to the car via the much gentler slopes to the SW ~ But the many boulders and stones made progress with an even heavier back pack a real stumbling torture ~ n din what was to turn out to be 35 Deg. at 12:30.
I was up for a short further go ~ not sure my feet were too keen after playing kung-fu with the boulders ~ We had only covered a mere 4 Kilometer by my Garmin.
But we took a vote and called it a day 13:00 ~ little to no breeze~
So we headed off and were shocked to see yet again the descent into Atherton the skies were again greyed out ~ 18 deg. at Malanda ~
This was one of the Toughest Hunts we have done ~ and Not having achieved our target area ~
We will not be returning unless the cooler weather returns ~ too hard.. Buggered if I know how the HELL the colonials or even the Diggers tolerated the Heat in Summer ~
his is a base pl;ate forma 4 1/2" High explosive shell~ it was welded in the base and flat~ the forces involved here are STAGGERING ~
New Guinea. A bulldozer, assisted by a number of soldiers, is used to extricate a 25-pounder gun from the mud of a river bed after its use in shelling Japanese positions.
THE TWENTY-FIVE POUNDERS WERE DISMANTLED AND THE PARTS MANHANDLED THROUGH ALMOST TRACKLESS BUSH TO BRING THEM WITHIN RANGE OF THE ENEMY.
AN A.I.F. CAPTAIN IS QUOTED AS HAVING SAID "THESE MEN WERE DETERMINED TO BEAT THE JAPS AT THEIR OWN GAME, AND WERE WORKING LIKE SLAVES TO KEEP THE GUNS OPERATING IN FORWARD AREAS. (NEGATIVE BY BOTTOMELY).
Clean up stahe one ~
Hard yakka all round!
Yes mate ~
Living the true spirit of the Diggers.. a couple of hardened Baby Boomers living the routine for sure ~ LOL
1211
Last edited by AT P Sweep; 07-26-2021 at 06:46 AM.
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