By Ashleigh Fielding | posted on November 28, 2019
A RARE piece of Anzac history has been uncovered at a charity shop in Albany.
Albany Community Store manager Graham Henderson was sorting through bric-a-brac donated from a deceased estate in early September when he came across a 12cm bronze disc.
He quickly realised it was a World War One Memorial Plaque, also known as a dead man’s penny – an item given to the next-of-kin of deceased British and Commonwealth soldiers who fought in the first world war.
Production of the plaques began in 1919 and more than one million were issued.
Mr Henderson has attempted to reunite the plaque with the right family but has not been successful.
But he knows one thing for sure through his research – that the fallen soldier hailed from Albany.
Further Weekender research found that the soldier is listed on the Honour Roll at St Joseph’s Catholic Church on Aberdeen Street.
“I don’t know if the people who brought in all of the things from the deceased estate knew it was in there,” Mr Henderson said of the plaque.
“Our main objective is to reunite it with the right family.”
The inscription on all of the plaques issued reads, “He died in freedom and honour”.
If you believe this dead man’s penny is from your family, you must identify the name of the soldier written on it before being able to claim it.
You can reach out to Mr Henderson by calling 9842 6767 or visiting him at the Salvation Army’s Albany Community Store on Chester Pass Road.
