If it is related to the time it was used as a WW2 convalescence camp, maybe the Australian war museum could help with info.
Disappointing result but did the army museum offer any suggestions as to further research which might identify who R O’Neill was.The army museum did not know what it was.
I found another one in the same area.
Disappointing result but did the army museum offer any suggestions as to further research which might identify who R O’Neill was.
Just thinking the value of the plates would not be in them as objects but the story behind them which may be of great value to the relatives of R O’Neill if they could be linked to an actual person.
Maybe a local historical society if there is one might be prepared to spend some research time.
I wonder if they marked graves.... or persons bodies in graves.
I know J O’neill ltd was a locksmithing company started around 1945 or so.Not sure if connected or not.Any ideas what this might be?
Its soft lead sheet 50 thou thick, the letters are about 0.3" / 8mm tall.
Seems odd for a name tag to be on a lead sheet.
View attachment 1638
Yeah it could well be.I know J O’neill ltd was a locksmithing company started around 1945 or so.Not sure if connected or not.
Just noticing that the lettering seems different on different plaques. That may indicate that they were done or organised by individuals rather than an organization using the site as we may expect such an organization to use the same dies for each. Just a thought.
Lead may have been reasonably easy to obtain, it is malleable and stamps easy.
All the pieces seem to be cut to fit the name in perspective of size.
They all have different fonts and impression depths.
In a local workshop they would likely be all the same font and depth.
So maybe they are test pieces and thrown out along with other scrap, or made in different places maybe as temporary name tags for trunks or something like that. The end product could have been a brass plate with the stamped name.
Interesting
Hi Hilux!
I did something fairly simple to search your names, and put the 3 names in together on a Google search, and it came up with a document called 'Complete Index to Pardey photos - Cowra family history group'. In there I found the following info on the names which was interesting...
Pte Alfred E. Masotto - 5th Battalion B Coy A.R.T.B. (Photo image of him April 1945 in Cowra) Alfred was a hairdresser from Geraldton WA. Born in Sicily in Feb 1927.
Pte John T. O'Neill - 19th Battalion C Coy Tank Division Depot, Cowra. (Photo image of him in April 1942 in Cowra). John was a labourer at a saw mill from Guyra NSW. Born Oct 1922.
Pte William R. Brydon - M.T.T.D (Motor Transport Training Depot) (Photo image of him from June 1943 in Cowra). William was from Dunedoo NSW. Born Sept 1917.
https://www.yumpu.com/it/document/r...x-to-pardey-photos-cowra-family-history-groupCo-incidence? They're not exactly common names, and to have the three of them all in the one document was hmm...
Not sure how this would help you at all, but the 'Cowra' link might be something for you there.
Cheers,
Megsy
Any ideas what this might be?
Its soft lead sheet 50 thou thick, the letters are about 0.3" / 8mm tall.
Seems odd for a name tag to be on a lead sheet.
View attachment 1638
Hi Hilux. Maybe send the pics to Warren from NTExplorers for his thoughts? I’ve watched a few of his youtube videos detecting old military camps and he seems to know a lot about Australian military artifacts. Just a thought. Cheers ColI found another one today about 3 inches down in some scrub.
I have four of them, they are all different sizes and there are 3 different stamp fonts used across the four tags. They were all buried a few inches under in scrubby bush - not near large trees. They were spread over a distance of nearly 1km.
About 500m away is an area where 20 or so 'honour' trees for WW1 soldiers are located. These are large trees with concrete plinths and cast brass memorial name plates at the base.
I'm wondering if they are part of an old memorial project by scouts or school kids.
I think I might return them to where I found them.
Sorry I posted the above before I saw your post.
Good idea with the search technique. Probably more than a coincidence.
The one I found today had the name "Garside" on it. Unfortunately that name is not in the document you found.
I've got the feeling I should pop these back in the dirt tomorrow.
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