An amateur historian has told of the moment two men unwittingly pulled a World War II machine gun from the depths of the Broome coast while out on a fishing trip.
Dion Marinis has carefully restored the Colt MG40, which he believed had been submerged in the ocean for 80 years, and returned it to the Broome Historical Museum this week.
Mr Marinis said the gun came into his hands "a few years back" when two fishermen pulled anchor off the local port.
"[While pulling, the fisher] thought, 'This is hard', and eventually the anchor came up," he said.
The two men placed their unusual find — then encrusted in weed after spending years on the ocean floor — in an esky of salt water and brought it to the local museum where Mr Marinis later picked it up for restoration.
History uncovered
An examination of the gun revealed its history, steeped in the 1942 air raids on Broome.
Mr Marinis said it was his belief the gun had broken off one of the early Catalinas – flying boats used by the Dutch that were destroyed when the Japanese attacked Roebuck Bay.
"This machine gun was basically submerged on March 3, 1942," he said.
In the years since, tourists have been able to view the Catalina wrecks at low tides.
Among the gun's quirks are bullets that were still inside, including an exploded cartridge which Mr Marinis believes came apart when the Catalina was under attack.
Further investigation also showed the gun was left-handed and its bullets had been manufactured in a factory in Footscray.
Working with a friend, Mr Marinis went through the lengthy process of reverse electrolysis that neutralises corrosion and stops the metal from rusting and breaking apart.
He also used a crystalline wax to seal the gun and preserve it, as well as restore its serial number and neutralise the bullets inside.
Mr Marinis said all the work made it "emotional" to return the gun to the museum.
"They all tell a story … and I think it's important for the legacy of the [air raids] to go on.
"I'm just an ordinary guy who decided to do a reverse electrolysis on an artefact … anyone can do anything if they really want, and [if you want] to be part of the museum, I encourage you to come down."
