An antique pocket watch that was left in Weymouth by an Australian soldier during the First World War will now be reunited with the soldiers family after it was revealed it will be returned to his family, who are located the other side of the world, in Australia.
Original owner, Herbert Robert Lack, known as Robert, exchanged his watch with a young woman in a Weymouth general store in lieu of payment for food.
Elsie Hills, who was just 17 at the time, had struck up an acquaintance with the soldier, who was stationed at the Wyke Regis Army Camp, Weymouth.
After Robert Lack left Weymouth, Elsie continued to look after the pocket watch and looked at it every day.
Following Elsie’s passing in the 1980s she handed possession of the watch on to family friend June Taylor.
June, of Osmington Mills, near Weymouth, decided that the rightful owners should once again have ownership of the pocket watch, and, after finally being able to track down the relatives of Robert Lock in Brisbane, Australia, the gold watch will be returned to them.
Image: Jeffrey Smith under creative commons.
