Metal detecting find at Burdett sparks journey into Australia’s war history
Follow the journey of how a lost badge ignited an eight-year pursuit into family history and honour.
This story includes contributions from Taylor L.
On Anzac Day, 2016, a teenager made an unexpected discovery that would end up becoming an eight-year-long journey.
Taylor L is a young woman from Adelaide with a love for history and researching.
While partaking in her passion for metal detecting at Burdett Hall, she stumbled upon a bucket-list find.
The metal detector picked up a threepence from 1918, a 1908 and 1938 halfpenny, a brass lion face and another discovery that caught her eye the most.
“In my hand was a chocolate brown brass Returned from Active Service Badge with both pin loops still attached,” she said.
“On the back was a number, 250154, and a maker’s name, Armor Sydney.”
Front and back of Gerald Bartlett's RAS badge. Photo: Taylor L
The questions on Taylor’s mind now were: what was the badge number for, and how could she find out?
“I started researching first on the age of the badge and found it was a 1940s World War Two badge,” she said.
Looking into the National Archives of Australia, she found scanned pages of the WWII Australian Returned from Active Service records book.
On page 318 of 405, to Taylor’s amazement, was the matching badge number and an attached name: Gerald Arthur Bartlett.
“I went on to research who Gerald A. Bartlett was and found out he served as a sapper during WWII and was discharged on the same day as the badge was given to him in February 1946,” Taylor said.
Mr Bartlett passed away on August 18, 1989 and was buried in the Murray Bridge war service memorial gravesite.
“I thought about what I had learnt about him and how seemingly weird it was that I found the item on Anzac Day, and he was a man who had served for his country,” she said.
Taylor continued to research Mr Bartlett’s life and family in hopes of finding a relative or someone closely related to return the badge to the rightful owners within the family.
Taylor discovered that G.A. Bartlett lived on a cattle farm in Murray Bridge, with his 10 siblings and parents Edwin and Elsie Bartlett.
On a trip to Mannum in 2017, Taylor passed through Murray Bridge to visit Mr Bartlett’s grave and also found his brother Claude Bartlett a few stones down and diagonally across.
Taylor originally found the badge in 2016 and in 2021 started the cleaning of Gerald Bartlett's grave. Photos: Taylor L
Inspired by Gerald Bartlett, Taylor made it her mission to take care of more veteran graves.
In 2021 she contacted SA Veterans’ Affairs, who gave the green light to clean not only Mr Bartlett’s grave but other veteran graves with their expertise involved.
In 2022 she revisited the graves, keeping up on the refurbishment almost a year after the first cleaning.
The graves were in good condition and Taylor soon discovered that an Anzac Day service was to take place that afternoon.
“It was an incredible moment to witness and achievement milestone.”
“When the deceased are recognised and the families with the next generation of young cadets stand in respect for those before them.
Taylor decided to stay for the 2022 Anzac day service which fueled her passion further. Photo: Taylor L
“(It) only fuels my passion further and desire to connect with more families of old and new.”
Taylor is currently still in possession of the badge and is looking to make contact with a member of the Bartlett family.
“I have developed a passion for community, family history, and personal stories of individuals themselves through this research into Gerald’s service and developed a deep personal connection to the Bartlett family.”
- More information: Contact taylor.1807@outlook.com.
Note: Murray Bridge News has chosen to withhold Taylor’s last name per her request.
