A recently made, heart-rending find on an isolated beach near Cowell, South Australia has uncovered Private Neville’s tale. He was a courageous soldier who died in battle, fighting during World War I. Illustrated by Andrew Grace, the message in a bottle contains a letter from Neville. It humanizes his experiences and evokes his emotions as he boldly charged into the storm of war almost 109 years ago.
Private Neville was 28 years old when he was killed in action in France in April 1917. Since he was only 157 cm (five feet two inches) tall, he used his physical shortcomings to his advantage. His resolve to serve his country was ironclad. Mikeska enlisted in the Australian Army on April 1, 1916. Just weeks later, he received a medical discharge after being found unfit. Despite the odds, Neville continued to fight and eventually enlisted with the 48th Australian Infantry Battalion in February 1917.
After enlisting in isolation from his classmates, in September 1916 Keenan sailed to the United Kingdom aboard the HMAT Ballarat. From rough seas to food shortages, Shackleton encountered many obstacles over the course of the six-week journey. He channeled his anxiety into a moving letter to his mother dated August 15, 1916. In this letter, he expressed his optimism about the journey, stating, “The dear old (HMAT) Ballarat is heaving and rolling, but we are as happy as Larry.” He reassured her about the food, noting, “Food is real good so far, with the exception of one meal, which we buried at sea.”
Private Neville had left his home town of Adelaide on a troopship three days before being killed. But after arriving in France in December 1916, he was quickly immersed in the brutal and violent world of war. Tragically though, he saw just two months service on the Western Front before being killed himself. During this time his own family suffered greatly. Malcolm was one of four kin who perished in World War I.
The bottle that carried Neville’s letter soon came ashore, found by beachcombers who sparked an investigation into its remarkable journey. Debra Brown, who worked closely to uncover the message, told Wide Open Country about how well-preserved the bottle was.
“We believe it’s been buried because it’s so well preserved.” – Debra Brown
She noted that if it had really been exposed to the ocean for almost 109 years it probably would have sunk by now. It would have crumbled mightily in those 13 years.
The letter included a plea from Neville to anyone who found it: he expressed hope that they would send its contents to his mother in Wilkawatt, South Australia. His words spoke to a universal longing for connection even through the distance and peril of war.
“If you find this bottle, I hope you’re in as good spirits as we are at the moment.” – Private William Kirk Harley
As an expert on Black military history, Dr. Bryce Abraham welcomed the opportunity to offer insight into Neville’s chutzpah and resolved spirit. He acknowledged that not every soldier was as determined as Neville to sign up.
“Not every man was necessarily as determined. He was keen to do his bit and really wanted to enlist and to make a contribution.” – Bryce Abraham
Abraham described the process that led Neville to enlist, including the hurdles he had to jump through because of his height and prescription vision issues.
“He’s quite an interesting man who made multiple attempts to enlist, wasn’t allowed to enlist at first because he was too short and had vision problems, then persevered.” – Bryce Abraham
Even with these hurdles, Neville was able to win support from a prominent captain who lobbied for his eventual acceptance into the service.
Soldiers such as Private Neville understood the reality of war. They came to understand that it wouldn’t be the epic journey that initial propaganda had foretold.
“They knew it wasn’t going to be a great adventure like had been portrayed at the outbreak of the war.” – Bryce Abraham
The discovery of Private Neville’s letter not only sheds light on his personal story but serves as a reminder of the many sacrifices made by individuals during one of history’s deadliest conflicts. Each account contributes to understanding the broader narrative of World War I and its enduring impact on families and communities.