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When Joshua Long lost his prized possession, his great grandfather’s World War II compass, earlier this year, he thought he would never see it again.
The army compass, along with other valuables like jewellery and christening gifts, were lost in a cardboard box that fell off the back of a ute during the family’s house move in May this year.
When they realised the box had fallen off, Joshua, 14, and his family scoured the roads between their old and new houses.
His mother Dianne Fisher, said her son was devastated at the loss of the compass. “He was crying, he was that upset.”
However, a chance sighting on Facebook of a photograph and information about the items, posted by a family friend in Canberra, resulted in the entire box of goodies being reunited with Joshua and his family at the weekend, almost two months after they were lost.
“The box was found at the corner of Norman and Margaret streets, Wendouree. Inside the box was an old medicine bottle with a faded label with my name on it. The honest people who found it placed a posting on Facebook and, fortunately, my friend in Canberra spotted it and notified me,” Ms Fisher said.
“I never thought we would see that compass again. We went to every op shop, thinking that someone may have handed it in.”
While the compass had no monetary worth, it was the sentimental value that left Joshua upset by its loss.
Joshua’s paternal great-grandfather, Edgar Ferguson, was a pilot in World War II. His army compass had been passed down through the family until it was given to Joshua a few years ago. Mr Ferguson died last year.
“The compass was Joshua’s prized possession and he was very attached to it. It was his only family heirloom,” Ms Fisher said.
While Joshua has placed the compass safely inside a glass cabinet at his new home, Ms Fisher said she couldn’t sufficiently thank the honest person who found the box.
“I only know her first name is Karen.”