King's WW1 letter found in 'discarded carrier bag'
- Published
Lt John Pitt Cary RN was captured during the Gallipoli landings in 1915
Century-old documents, including a letter signed by King George V, have been found in a discarded carrier bag.
The documents, discovered at a council-run reclaim depot in Dorset, tell the story of a Royal Navy lieutenant who was captured during World War One.
They also included newspapers, personal letters and postcards from the officer, John Pitt Cary, who was a prisoner of war in Turkey.
The items have been presented to the Imperial War Museums.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP), which runs the New To You reclaim service in Poole, said other items found at the depot included previously unknown editions of the Afion-kara-hissar Gazette - a newspaper produced in the UK for the families of imprisoned officers.
The letter from Buckingham Palace was signed by King George V
Research revealed Lt Cary had been loaned to the Royal Australian Navy and served on submarine AE2, which played a significant part in the Gallipoli landings of April 1915, but during operations it was forced to surface and its crew was captured.
Letters and prisoner-of-war postcards tell the story of Lt Cary's imprisonment until his release in 1918.
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The letter from the king, dated 15 April 1919, is personally addressed to Lt Cary and thanks those who served with the Australian naval force for their service during the war.
BCP environmental development officer Graham Crabb said staff were "absolutely amazed" by the find.
He said: "The volunteers and staff are extremely proud to have been part of this discovery and we're all pleased that the Imperial War Museum is now housing this rare collection, enabling new research for historians and university students."
The New To You service resells reusable items to reduce landfill and raise money for people in difficult circumstances.
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