22 Years After

Australian Soldier Returns German Souvenir Taken From Kieta

/~\N June 11, Dr. R. Asmis (Consul General in Australia for Germany) met by appointment an Australian “Digger,” who 22 years after the in cident, presented him with a German gold-plated war badge and German seals, in the hope that Dr. Asmis might locate the official in whose desk they were found in the former German possession of Northern Solomon Islands.

The story goes back to 1914, when Mr.

Alexander McKay, of Rozelle, was a member of the Australian garrison at Kieta, in the then German Solomons, and administrative headquarters of the Ger man possessions in the Western Pacific at that period. On the enemy surrendering, German officers in charge of the native troops, and officials were transferred to Rabaul.

War souvenirs were eagerly sought there as in other areas of hostility. It was in that way that Private McKay came across the little gold-plated badge, surmounted by a reproduction of the Im perial Eagle, and some small circular seals, inscribed “Kaiserliche Station, Kieta.” They were discovered in a desk in the office which had been occupied by the German administrator at Kieta.

Returning to Sydney, Mr. McKay put them away, before he re-enlisted for active service in Gallipoli and France. He forgot about them until early in June, when, fossicking among odds-and-ends, he came across them.

In the belief that they might be

treasured, sentimentally, by their right ful owner, if still alive, Mr. McKay de cided to hand them to Dr. Asmis, who has promised to get into touch with Germany in an attempt to trace the owner.