WWII Aust & USA in Far North Queensland Australia ~

While organising my relics I was inspired to trial using heat to remove crustations from relics and coins and badges. As i had nothing to lose really as many are totally seemingly irretrievable or illegible coins and relics So why not try a MAP torch!


These items have been flamed but not cleaned up ~

Note badly corroded encrusted AMF button

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Simply heat to cherry red .. and essentially allow to cool naturally ~ maybe a quick spray with CRC ~ (???) not totally sure after all it is about displacing molecular structures here ~ and break 'their' hold on the item !

And ` Pls don't touch or try to pick up ~ No~ I did not do that either !

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More Buttons prior to flaming ~ some are already reasonable ~ some not too flash~

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Check the buttons..After~

Result.. STUNNING ~

Not all items are going to be salvageable ~ Okay !

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Total for the day

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Total for the day ~ Who would even known the brass button was actually modern and not WWII ~ and even has print ~ "Make your own"

 

Cheers Stuart - some good finds again over the last few weeks. I have heard of the molasses method to dislodge rust, but overheating with a blow torch is a new one to me.

But the coins / buttons etc do look a heck of a lot better afterwards.



I have just got back from Vanuatu and along the way I found a couple of bottles in the water while snorkelling. They all look interesting but before I can put them on display I need to work out how to get rid of the stink of decaying sea life........

 

Opps ~ Glitch ~

 

I think Blow torch is a harsh term and I for one woudl not be recommending a blow torch ~ The M.A.P. torch is a special mix gas and does get very hot ..
FYI ~

MAPP gas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAPP_gas


I think the key is to heat to a red or ~ bloody hot ~ of course the original theory is that these items were/ are less than suitable for any sort of static display and nothing is lost by trying it anyway.

Despite all we are not in it to melt the item ~ so a butane torch should be ideal ~ it simply that I have a MAP compact torch which I used when I was building Motorcycles and it has no other specific purpose anyway now ~

BUT ~ I have now moved onto more valuable items such as my single USA tunic service button and it too has come very nicely ~

Of course it is also of concern that if :"you" were to endeavour to clean up lesser metal such as aluminium , pewter or low melting point that brass or copper ~

This would immediately mean catastrophe for any such piece ~ it would not even make it to the brica brac bucket ~ So best to establish what one was about to heat of course ~

As for the bottles ~ thats EASY ~

Sodium Hypochlorite ~ or as most know it BLEACH ~

Soak in diluted bleach .. say 1 part bleach to about 9 parts water ~ it will bring glass up to the best possible result that the item potentially has to be "restored" ~ including stains and odors ~

All your house hold glasses , coffee cups , china will come up superbly ~

OF course be careful if you have painted art work or logos on the item ~

 

Has any else heard of CGI Network ?

If you have watched a movie, a documentary on television or theatre ~ you HAVE experienced CGI

They a computer graphics engineering group ~

The CGI folks are about to release new movie ~ “Stalingrad’

Here is a sweetner ~ prelude ~

Making of Stalingrad
http://www.cgmeetup.net/home/making-of-stalingrad/

Hold the thought that 90% of the video is NOT real ~ as can seen the images are super imposed via 3 D onto real Volgagrad / Stalinggrad topography !

 

Last week between Xmas and New Year ~ Monday ~I tired some thing totally new ~

On the Saturday I went to the Fun Park and as I relayed, I had a horror experience which I add I also found that just below my left knee I had either a horror bite or some sort of infection which swelled up to a nasty head before bursting and after some 4- 5 days, thankfully cleared up ~

But I dropped around to visit my in-laws who were camped nearby. Of course I could not but immediately notice that an island had appeared in the middle of the dam waters ~
So in conversation, my sister in law offered to lend me her kayak ~ Thus was an appealing idea as to do a recce and check out any potential `

It was Monday before I finally decided to do a run out early and check it out before I started work at 16.00 hrs ~

I got on site and readied to revive my kayak skills ~ with MD strapped over my back and pick and bottle of water , (not about to drink the dam waters, I tell you !) in the back pack ~ all else remained with the Brother in law ~

(Garrett & pack over the back , the poop scoop and fugglies strapped to the back of the Kayak ! )

So I set off ~ immediately I felt I was struggling and felt a bit like one of the returning to base Cockell-Shell heroes in a sinking canoe ~

But I pressed on regardless ~ First up I could not even see the Island at all, as it is a low profile at this point, and no more than ½ metre above the water level ! So I aimed where I figured it was ~


Sure enough I found it and even more so the smell ~ I landed on the north side ~ which is the down wind side ~ and has quickly become a haven for the bird life ~

So ignoring the bird crap , the stench and obviously Bird lice ~ I set up and away ~ I noted the building foundations which I believe were the Military Bakery building during the war years ~ plus a strip of tar which was a road running right to the foundations and then veering back into the water ` An obvious supply road to the various camps ~

But immediately I was rewarded with a variety of echoes and straight up a nice vintage brass button ~





I spent around an hour as I promised Ms M to be back after few hours ~ and so headed back leaving the angry Plovers to their domain ~

The trip back was quicker as I had a tail wind but seemed to be an even greater struggle ~ ¾ of the way back my sister in law Karen appeared in another kayak , but hers was a fibre glass boat ~ She insisted in taking my back pack despite the fact as I stated there was no weight in it ~

When I finally hit solid ground she exclaimed that the kayak had to be loosing AIR ~ Oh THANKS Karen !!

So a few hours well spent though despite minimumal rewards ~ I was well pleased with the Button ` The island may be worth further sweeping.. There is a dump site but at present it is on the typical bog/ quick sand side of the island would have to wait till the ground sets once exposed ~

A curious item ~ No idea apart from being a miniature flag… ???????

 

Sunday ~ Two of us fronted for a rendezvous time of 05.00 hrs for a MD outing in the back country ~

We were on site at 06.00 and geared up for a specific target of a Pub or boarding house on the original B&W photo of 1890 ~

Almost instantly we started picking up large numbers of fragments and 303 bullet heads ~ We knew the site was used for WWII training but the degree of WWII detritus is stunning by any measure ~

But of course there is a lot of pioneer evidence ~ and occasionally produces a period piece. But frustratingly no coins or 19th century gems or such as yet ~

This site is quite large and we figure we could spend weeks here ~ but it will require true cordoning off to meticulously work every inch~ and as the owner of the property said to me, the site has been worked pretty hard over the years and as always as a laymen feels the site has little to offer ~



We worked our way to the river, deliberately pulling away from masses of mixed targets in pursuit of the specific build site ~ sharing space with the many March flies which escorted us with gusto ~ and as I neglected to apply the insect repellent ~ suffered a few bites ~

I believe we actually found the site and I started to work the section methodical ~ I was progressing when the MD mate called up on the radio to suggest I might like to check out what he had found on slightly higher ground ~



A 3 “ Mortar UXO ~ So I GPS tagged it and placed the rocks around the item ~ Then discussing the angle of the protruding fin and the possible firing position ~ The challenge being that the embedded ordinance angle is no true indication direction really ~

To add confusion I found several Mortar capsule end caps which can be seen next to the fin! But we decided to check out the rise to the north ~ This took me away for m my primary target but as the rise was not overly severe we set off ~ but again only found frags and no evidence of a gun position ~ and pushed on to the western face which dropped down to the river bed ~ some 50-70 metres below ~

Half way down my partner yells ~ “I got one!! It’s a big one!”

He had found what I believe a 6 pounder solid AP round head ~

We kept on but no more 6 lbers~ but almost at river lever we found an array of 2 pounder AP and Anti tank round solid shots typical of the area ~ I pulled out two then I started to dig a low echo not more than a metre away ~ in fact was quite aggression as I AS-Sumed it was yet another 2 lber ~ I quickly realised it was not ~ (Put it down to the sky rocketing temperature~ well that is my story ! ))



Again I tagged the site ~

By this time we ready for smoko and assessment of the morning~



But as expected by 10.00hrs the temperature was really souring ~ and we decided to call it quits

So we decided to do a drive further west before heading home ~

Wild Brumbies ~



So after an extended scenic drive we eventually returned to base around 14.00 hrs ~

Four of The Seven Brothers Atherton Tablelands Far North QLD ~ Aust.
‘

 

Well first official day of my leave and I decided to head to my Fun Park FNQ~



As I worked along the shore line the hits came thick and fast ~ but as there was a wind blowing I was not prepared to wade in too deep after the last visit when I ended up with a nasty sore on my knee after the water flooded my boots ~

There were no ski boats or jet skis as the exposed tree and stumps are pushing any even further out into the deep water ~



I started hauling in numerous 303 Blanks ~ to the point of frustration ~

But then an AUSTRALIA badge WITH retaining pin appears from the murky water ~ And that alone is VERY cool ~ A great find in itself ~

Now we are a high ~ then it happened ~ I pulled up the Florin ~ At first I thought it was in fact a decimal coin !



Some may recall last Saturday week back I found a small SS piece ~ and asked MD Spirits ~

“Where is the rest of this!? “

Well after finding a few more 303 blanks I picked up a real big signal ~ and blow me if I did not scoop it in two attempts ~ Being a 98 signal I was fully expecting a Slouch hat Rising Sun ~

Then the rest of “ it “ appeared ~ and ~ And IT still works ~ Auto SEIKO !



In fact I am planning on getting it serviced + a new “sports band” and Woo Hoo ~

Straight from the slime, grunge, stench of the Fun Park dam ~

Mystery Object ~ solid steel ~ in WWII Military trash heap ~



Late in the morning I found a amazing AMF tunic button. Obviously the putrid soil bottom is a fantastic preserver of brass and coppers ~ I actually retrieved the button in the middle of the quick sand/ sludge section ~ very cautiously ~





The small piece next to the 1/2 penny is intriguing with indentation on both sides.
The pennies are amazing.. And the filth obviously protects them ~




So a fantastic day blended with modern and excellent WWII and period pieces ~ The only downer was when the consul of my Garrett broke off the mounts ~ ( Removed and modified the rather sad pathetic mounts, enlarged the screws and strengthened the set ! )

So all Good ~

 

More good finds there Stuart - I'm impressed with the Seiko watch still working after what I assume to be umpteen years under water & sludge.

And as I said before, the owner of the florin must have been well upset losing two shillings - it would have just about ruined his day.

 

Dave

I tend agree about the Florin.. after all I think a Middy, 10 ounce beer was 2 pence or even 4 pence ~ But this area appears to be have beena two up school as all the coins of late have been found in the rough same 5 sq-metres ~

 

Well ~ Been a Hell of a week!

Went Bush Sunday with “Ed” and Monday ~ The Fun Park FNQ ~ and again went bush yet again on Tuesday! Wednesday a day of rest ~ well ~sort of ~

Thursday I joined forces with Paul R and his young boys for a recce which covered a bush walk along “Torpedo Bay” track near Tinaroo~ The weaterh was kind considering this is high Summer ~ Plus I am not super fit bush walker but the plan worked out well ~ and the walk was a good exercise in view my best hike boots are under repair and the boots I had did not work out ~

The track starts where there is a registered WWII site ~ and the fact that the track title is puzzling Torpedo Bay ~ ?

There was no lake or dam here before 1958 ~ and one doe s not have to be a Rocket scientist to realise that the track begins –or ends right on the camp site of WWII. There fore this would surely have been a WWII forced training route (some < 5 km> )

I took along the MD but not a single echo resulted ~



In this frame there are some 3- 4 different WWII registered sites! But what a view!



Atherton Tablelands and “The Seven Sister/ brothers”.



After descending to the car park we decided to have look at another potential camp site ~ but after several hours revealed nothing but a single Jack Knife clasp !

By then time was marching on a I had not recovered anything but the clasp ~

I suggested Paul might like to press on to another site he wanted to recce and I planned on some lunch and then a fossick ~

I took a quick break and took in some of the dam before heading off again.

The Island increases in size ~



Good plan and paid off beyond my best hopes ~ The whole day turned into a long one by my standards ~ Immediately again I started pulled 303 rounds the difference right off the bat was that the first couple were live rounds rather the standard Blank!

But then the targets started thick and fast ~

I scooped a target under water ~ but when I walked it up the bank I emptied the contents but nothing but stones, dirty mud and a mussel shell~ but still a strong signal!? To my disbelief the echo came from the mussel!






I spent some 2 ½ hours before calling it a day ~ and headed to base, a tad late ~

The tally was quite respectable ~





Now the challenge was that the Officer’s pip, the shoulder badge and even the Rising Sun were battle damaged so I decided to flame them and straighten them !

As I was heating them I pushed them a little further and then lightly brushed them with the most amazing results ~

All but the 3 pence were flamed!



Under fluoro lighting ~



In natural over cast light



Then today Friday ~ after declining another outing with Paul and kids but later in the morning Ms M and I agreed to do a run together which is a rarity for her ~ We then arrived on first choice we found Paul and kids, but they were wandering off ~ We enjoyed the outing together but I kept it short for good public relations and we left after an hour.

Paul and company still visible in the distance ~

 

A good day out, you really went for it - hook, line & sinker......


That flaming really seems to do the trick - amazing results.


I wanted to do a pun about the officer's pip and the mussel but I struggled to find one (something about pulling a mussel).


And what is with that giant ring-pull?

 

LOL Funny Man

Dave

I think it came of a larger tin fish (??)

Maybe something metaphor/ pun like ~ "Pip -ie in the shell" may work ~

 

Well what a week it has been ~ nine days off work and 7 days MD ~

From Bush and back of the humpy to water wading ~ with some amazing results ~

With modern and WWII finds the collections have increased quite a bit !

Yesterday Saturday the rains finally arrived and this make me very uneasy as it means the dam water s may well increase ~

So I headed over for a look and it turned out ~ as soon as I descended from what I call Malanda Heights to the lower ground the rain ceased and the actual dam site was dry as ~

I hooked and once again wading and sweeping thoroughly ~ but a shower grounded progress for around forty five minutes

But after few hours I finished the week with yet more great finds ~




A little dejected as I had not seen any coins I headed back to the car parked on the high ground to avoid the risk of lane access as a result of rain I picked a single high tone of 85, along the bush walking track. A nice 1943 Three pence !





But one is a little different to any others I have found ~ But all items are as were found and toally molested this time ~





So sadly a quiet Sunday before returning to the grind tonight ~

BUT ~ bring on Wednesday when I plan another run for a few hours wading ~

 

I had planned a two stage day after finishing work at 06.00 and after a Nanna nap and up again around 10,00 ~

I had planned to hit the favourite Fun park around 11.00 hrs ~

All went to sort of to plan when I left home base around 10 45 ~ but heavy road works and a failed specific purchase plan put me way behind the battle plan!

Finally I teamed with Paul R and his two young blokes~ we arrived at the camp site well into the back of Tinaroo~ a completely new site ~

The walk to the target was longer than we figured and the heavy grassed areas were hard going but the weather was on our side ~ with temperature being around 22 deg and heavy overcast ~ Perfect `

But the area is fantastic with great scenery and bordered by heavy tropical rain forest ~ (that's where them Stinging trees like to hang out ! )

NOW this ~ once was a great hanging tree and the evidence of WWII detritus around the base proved that indeed this former HUGE tree was the place to be after a hard day ~ The back ground was the target area and generally did not disappoint for a first time recce ~




I can just imagine the troops relaxing after big day training on what was to prove to be afiring and rifle range on the flat beyond ~



Once we reached the target area ~ Paul pressed on to find the objective ~ a long deep trench ~ (15 m long * 3 m wide * 3 m deep about) soon revealed it’s purpose purely by the amount of both live and expended 303 shells that littered the area ~ plus evidence of Mortar rounds ~ The trench was a firing / rifle range!

I worked the shore line pursuing numerous spent and live rounds and evidence of both rifle fire and mortars Additionally we believe on good information that this areas was also use din 25 pounder training on to the hills in the back ground~

Mean while I scored the find of the day ~





A Shimano Calcutta 200 over head reel with a graphite rod complete with lure ~ lulling in the mud ~

Then rain set in but we remained undeterred ~ but began the walk back to the car ~


A very productive day ~ with a few WWII treasures and some excellent modern contemporary scores ~


My total for the day ~ Love the bottle ~ it is a period WWII cork stop bottle ~



The reel works fine considering the amount of mud it was encased in!

Again actually kept several live 303 rounds , one had been breach jammed , damaging the bullet ~ ( can be seen clearly middle of extreme left of frame )



A sauce bottle maybe ~ well it is corked ~ Very cool ~

Plus a 3 “Mortar safety end cap – “Remove before firing”

And a two 2” mortar aluminium fins ~

Plus there was an abandoned or lost Cray / yabby pot also retrieved ~ Paul may well better use than me!

I was disappointed not to make the Fun Park but it was a great productive day in a new site ~ with potential to return without doubt ~

 

Cheers Stuart - another good day by the sounds of it.

With the photos from a few days ago, I have been wondering about the rising sun hat badges / collar badges.

Due to the amount of them being found I was curious if they had been deliberately discarded due to broken lugs etc, but the two you just picked up look 100% serviceable.

How the heck did so many get lost? I know that there were 10's of 1000's (100's of 1000's?) personnel rotating through those training areas but it still seems that they misplaced a fair bit of kit.

Especially when I would presume each individual soldier would have to account for all of the kit he was issued with.


I suppose even the Q'ies would have had better things to worry about than the occassional lost hat badge........

 

(Seems we have a HTML issue on site ~ so I have reentered all the photos in the post above ~ So please to review previous post ~ )

Dave

Merete my partner asked th esame thing , the same with ammunition and even hand grenades .. She asked; "Was there no accountability for these things?"

I seriously wonder if ~ in August 1945 or even later ~ did they just chucked them as they had had enough war ~ enough training ~ enough BS ~ No woman ~ they just wanted out ~ the BIG adventure was over !

 

Saturday

I was planning a day n but after a run to town to restock the larder I figured Sunday is a different plan and I wanted to test a wading access theory ~ So I headed out late and arrived on site in quick time ~

Again the water has dropped noticeably.

So rigged up and headed into the water ~ I had only been sweeping around 15 minutes when I noticed a tinny with two peeps aboard edging toward me ~

We greeted and a father and son around 12 years old anchored the boat and jumped over board to wade in a engage in an extended conversation on metal detecting the WWII history of the Tablelands ~

Neither Dad or son had any insight into the historical facts regarding an estimated 500,000 military and medical staff occupying the Atherton Tablelands from 1942 – 1946 ~ Australian and USA ~

They never knew of General Macarthur and General Blamey competing on the Tablelands ~ or of the Rats of Tobruk residing after returning to Australia ~ or of Australians fighting the Vichy French in Palestine ~

These blokes really took on some Australian military history ~

Anyway they enjoyed their encounter and proved good company ~ The young was stoked to be returning to the boat with a cluster of inert 303 blanks ~ “Very Cool!!”

Australian Troops train before General Macarthur and entourage~ Atherton 1943 ~




So they stayed with me for some time and chatted before returning their tinnie and the fishing ~

I extended my searching into slightly deeper water but seems picking were thin but good ~

Four very nice coins ~ all pre-decimal ~ including three 3d and a 1943 ½ penny ~

 

Please review the past few posts as there seems there was an issue with the HTML / Photos ~ now fixed up for your "Viewing pleasure" ! LOL

 

Well~ Ten days a go one of my MD buddies and I embarked a totally new strategy by using his aluminium “tinnie” to access otherwise difficult sites.

Several of these sites I have tried to access via the bush and rain forest and each time been defected by dense rain forest and even Stinging trees!

We headed out mid morning to perfect conditions and a clam dam waters ~



We visited four sites but around 14.00hrs the weather turned ominous and a storm threatened to blow in on the area so we headed for home base.



The first sites left us short and wanting as there was little more than spent bullet shells. The third site was the firing range which I had visited on the Friday two days before ~





Mine was a very sad outing in accounts to relics recovered ~ In fact the only relevant find I made was a standard WWII Military fork !



The trench is heavily over grown ~ it is a firing range dug out/ trench with raised front bank ~ approx 20 m long * 3 m wide * 3 m deep! And includes an access trench ~

I would assume that this is in fact a standard construction vie Commonwealth forces (?)



But ironically I found a mystery piece which looked remotely familiar but after Ed suggested it may be a piece off a fuel burner stove I simply dropped into my unsorted relic drawer until I suddenly , once again found accidently ~ a centre tube for a Mills Bomb ~





(At this rate of scores related I will have a sample Mills bomb by parts alone! )