Messages in a bottle written by two Australian soldiers a few days into their voyage to the battlefields of France during World War I have been found more than a century later on Australia's coast.

Western Australia

A bottle containing two handwritten letters from Australian Army privates during World War I was discovered on a beach in Western Australia. The letters, dated August 15th, 1916, were written as the soldiers were en route to France to join the front line. One letter was addressed to a soldier's mother, expressing that he was having a good time and enjoying the food, while the other was a general message to whoever found it, wishing them well. The bottle is believed to have been dropped at sea. Deb Brown, a local who found the bottle, plans to return the messages to the soldiers' families, describing the find as emotional and special for the community.

Messages in a bottle from WWI found on Australian beach

Finally, here tonight, a message from the past finds meaning in the present. It came in a discovery on a beach in Western Australia. Just above the waterline, a bobbing, clear, thick bottle. Initially thought to be trash, instead it was a treasure, dated August 15th, 1916, two years into World War I. Two handwritten letters from two privates from the Australian Army. They were headed to join the front line in France. One was written to his mother, having a real good time, food is real good so far. The other addressed his note to anyone who came across it. May the finder be as well as we are at present. The bottle was thought to have been dropped while they were out to sea. Deb Brown, one of the locals who found it, plans to reunite the messages with the families of the authors. It's very emotional, but we're also very excited that we found it, that a local family found it because we've made it into something really special for the families. A reunion more than a century in the making.

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Breakdown