(MENAFN) Two letters written by World War I soldiers have been discovered sealed inside a bottle that washed ashore on a remote beach in Western Australia, according to reports.

The bottle was found by local resident Debra Brown and her family while cleaning Wharton Beach. Inside were letters from Private Malcolm Alexander Neville of South Australia and William Kirk Harley, both penned in 1916 during the war.

Brown successfully traced Neville’s great-nephew, Herbie Neville, in South Australia, who described the discovery as “unbelievable” for the family. “It’s been amazing how much has come to the surface in his short time in WWI,” he said.

Private Neville’s letter revealed that he first enlisted in early 1916 but was discharged a month later due to poor eyesight. He re-enlisted a week later in the service corps and was ultimately killed in France at the age of 28.

The second letter belonged to William Kirk Harley, who survived the war. His granddaughter, Ann Turner, called the discovery “a miracle,” adding, “We are all absolutely stunned. There are five grandchildren who are still alive.”

The letters are set to be reunited with the descendants of the soldiers, providing a poignant connection to the past more than a century later.

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