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The Identification Tags Belonged to Leslie John Archer, Who Joined the Australian Army at Age 19 in 1943; The Items Were Framed and Given to His 74-Year-Old Son David
Alan Anderton found identification tags belonging to Australian soldier Leslie John Archer in the Tumbling Waters area, south of Darwin. After researching records and searching for the soldier’s family, he sent the framed items to David Archer, who is now 74 years old.
The preserved inscriptions on the tags allowed for their connection to the soldier who served in the 40th Battalion of the Australian Military Forces during World War II. Among the legible details were Leslie’s name and service number TX15590.
According to a report in the Australian newspaper The Mercury, the items arrived at David’s home a little over two weeks after his contact with Anderton.
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Identification Tags Found in Tumbling Waters
The discovery occurred in July 2026, in the Tumbling Waters area near the Blackmore River in the Northern Territory. Anderton was using a metal detector when he located the set of military identification tags.
The phrase “south of Darwin” accurately describes the general location but does not pinpoint the exact site of the discovery. The available information limits the find to the Tumbling Waters region and the vicinity of the Blackmore River.
After finding the tags, Anderton enlisted the help of other metal detectorists to research the name and military number engraved on the items. The consulted records indicated that Leslie had lived in Snug, Tasmania.
Anderton also posted information about the discovery in a local online community in an effort to find descendants of the soldier. This initiative enabled the news to reach David Archer, who confirmed he is Leslie’s son.
The circumstances under which the soldier lost his identification tags have not been clarified. David told The Mercury that his father never mentioned losing the tags while he was in the Darwin area.
There is also no information establishing when the items were lost or how long they remained where they were found. Therefore, it cannot be asserted that they were buried for 83 years or that they were lost precisely in 1943.
Leslie John Archer Served in the 40th Battalion
Leslie John Archer was born on July 1, 1924. According to the Australian report, he was 19 years old when he joined the 40th Infantry Battalion in 1943, at what was known as 31 Mile Camp.
The record from the Virtual War Memorial Australia registers Leslie as a soldier in the Australian Military Forces during World War II.
The document shows the service number TX15590, the same identified on the items found by Anderton, and associates Leslie with the 40th Infantry Battalion. The record also state that he passed away on September 12, 1992, at the age of 68.
The coincidence between the name and military number on the items and the data from the record allowed for determining to whom the identification tags belonged. However, there is no information indicating that the items have been examined or authenticated by a military or archaeological institution.
The 40th Battalion was connected to Tasmania, the state where Leslie lived and where his son currently resides. The soldier’s time in the Northern Territory occurred during a period of intense military presence in the region.
Darwin Was Still Under Attack During the War
Darwin suffered the first and largest Japanese attack on Australian territory on February 19, 1942. The offensive occurred before Leslie joined the 40th Infantry Battalion, according to the timeline presented in the report.
However, the air raids did not end in 1942. Historical material from the Anzac Portal, maintained by the Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs, records that Darwin and other areas of the Northern Territory remained involved in defensive operations during World War II.
This context explains the concentration of facilities and troops in the region but does not allow for a claim that Leslie lost his identification tags during a bombing. No available document or account establishes a direct link between the items and a specific Japanese attack.
It has also not been confirmed that the point at Tumbling Waters where the tags appeared was directly hit by bombs. The proven relationship is solely geographical and historical: the items belonged to a soldier who served during the war and were found south of Darwin.
Items were framed before delivery
After locating David, Anderton prepared a frame with the tags and a photograph of Leslie. The set was sent to Electrona, Tasmania, where David lives.
The two participated in a video call during the package opening. David described the experience of receiving the items that had belonged to his father as “unreal” and emphasized that the name and military number could still be read.
A retired plumber, David placed the frame in the living room, alongside other military memorabilia preserved by the family. He expressed gratitude for Anderton’s efforts to find the relatives and return the items.
Anderton stated that he would never forget the moment he witnessed the package opening. David also expressed a desire to meet him in person and visit the area where the identification tags were found.
The return brought the family together with items used by Leslie during his military service. Although the date and circumstances of the loss remain unknown, the name and number engraved on the tags allowed them to be returned to the soldier’s descendants.
