A glass bottle uncovered on Wharton Beach, Western Australia, carries letters dated 15 August 1916 from two privates of the 48th Australian Infantry Battalion, linking the present to the battlefields of World War I.
Letters Found in Bottle
The bottle contained two private letters written on 15 August 1916 by Malcolm Neville and William Harley. Both served in the 48th Australian Infantry Battalion on the Western Front during World War I. They departed together on 12 August aboard HMAT A70 Ballarat from Adelaide to Europe.
Content of the Letters
Neville addressed his letter to his mother, noting he was “really having a good time” and that “the food is good,” and reported being “somewhere out at sea.” Harley referred to their location as “somewhere in the bay,” likely the Great Australian Bight. The bottle had been buried on the dunes for over a century, and the letters were in fairly good condition when recovered.
Relatives Discover Their Ancestors
The Brown family located surviving relatives of the soldiers. William Harley’s granddaughter said she was “absolutely stunned” and felt as if her grandfather had reached out a hand from the grave. Malcolm Neville’s great‑nephew described the find as “amazing” and said it brought his family closer together, reflecting on Neville’s happiness before going to war and the sorrow of his death.
