A remarkable piece of First World War history has surfaced on a remote Australian coastline, as a message in a bottle written by a British soldier over a century ago was discovered by a local family.
A Century-Old Secret Washed Ashore
The fragile note, carefully preserved in a glass bottle, was found by the Nottle family during a walk along Wharton Beach in Western Australia's remote south coast. Dating back to 1917, the message offers a rare glimpse into the thoughts of a soldier bound for the battlefields of Europe.
The Soldier's Words
The handwritten note contained a simple yet powerful request: "Would the finder of this bottle kindly forward this on to my sweetheart Miss Edith Pattingale", along with an address in southeast London. The soldier, identified as Pte John G. R. Corner of the 1st ANZAC Battalion, revealed he was aboard the HMAT Shropshire when he cast the bottle into the sea.
The Search for Answers
Historical records indicate that Pte Corner survived the war and returned to Britain, marrying Edith in 1920. The couple went on to have two daughters and lived in the same London suburb where Edith had waited for him during the war years.
This extraordinary discovery raises fascinating questions about the bottle's incredible journey - how it travelled from the troopship waters to one of Australia's most isolated beaches, surviving over a century at sea.
A Tangible Connection to History
The Western Australian Museum has confirmed the authenticity of the find, noting its exceptional historical significance. Unlike many messages in bottles that contained scientific data, this personal note provides a direct emotional connection to an individual soldier's experience during one of history's most devastating conflicts.
The bottle and its contents will be carefully preserved, serving as a permanent testament to one soldier's thoughts as he sailed toward an uncertain future, and the enduring power of a simple message to bridge the gap between centuries.
