There is no greater scavenger than the Soldier. If it wasnt nailed down it was sent home. An old WW1 bloke died a few years ago. In the garage, in a custom made box, was the mummified head of a Turkish Soldier. Even the RSL was horrified. Naturally the poor bloke was sent home with the respect due to him.
I know for a fact that the Aussies stole a National Icon from Egypt, or souvenired it I should say in WW2. A painting of some Queen. The ship was stopped, everyone was marched off. The ship was searched from stem to stern, the diggers were searched as they reboarded. it was not found. It now hangs in the lounge room of a digger in Melbourne. I reckon when he dies, it might see the light of day again. I know an old digger who was on the ship and has seen it since. He joined in 1939 aged 16, Ive seen his pic from then, he looks about 12. He didnt even say good bye to his mother, the poor woman, "because she would have farken killed me" was his reason. He was made a Sgt at real age 18 because "everyone else was dead". fascinating bloke is old Ted. Only now is he really telling his story from age 16 to 22 fighting a war, becoming the legend that he should always have been.
Can you imagine being only 22 and having fought for 6 years, returning home and still having 70+ years left ahead of you? I cant.
It was very common for Soldiers to bring/send home medals, hundreds of them sometimes. Little Johnny would wear them and head off to fight a war with the other boys down the creek or he might just march around the backyard.
I reckon kids are responsible for half of what is found by detectors.
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