ELMSDALE, N.S. -- Three men from Nova Scotia have been brought together by a journey that dates back to the mid-1940s.

Arnie Lloyd, a resident of Elmsdale, N.S., bought a vintage truck three years ago, along with other miscellaneous items the previous owner was selling.

In one of the boxes he purchased was an old chocolate box that contained dozens of letters, including a handwritten note. 

The letter, dated Nov. 4, 1944, was written by Arnold Weisner, a Canadian solider who served in Holland during the Second World War.

The letter was addressed to Clark Armstrong of Beechville, N.S., whose personal items were also found, including love letters, pay stubs and a licence from the 1900s.

Lloyd hoped someone could help connect him to Weisner’s family so he could return the precious family memento.

"If a grandson or granddaughter gets to read that letter, they get a piece of history that maybe their father or grandfather didn't get a chance to talk about,” Lloyd said.

After the story aired on CTV News, family members came forward -- including one of the veteran’s sons, James Weisner.

Over seven decades since the letter was written, it’s the first time James, the youngest of eight siblings, has seen any correspondence from his father during his time at war.

“It’s really a time capsule for me,” James said. "My father joined the war in 1940. At that time, I remember him saying that times were tough. He was getting fed up with the way he was living, and he wanted to join the army." 

Arnold, a member of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Canadian Field Regiment RCA, passed away in 2016 at the age of 95. He is survived by his wife, Doris, who is soon to be 90.

"One thing he did tell me, when he first joined up, was that he had a lot of friends, but he learned not to have friends in the army because you get close to them and the next thing you know they’re gone,” James said. “He lost a lot of his friends." 

One friend he did keep in touch with back home was Clark Armstrong of Beechville, N.S., to whom he wrote the letter.

Alden Armstrong, Clark’s nephew, was also able to retrieve some important documents of his uncle’s.

“It’s also helping to put the dots together of the family, who they were, what they did, who they had relations with,” Alden said.

For Lloyd, he’s happy knowing these tattered treasures are back in the hands of those who treasure them most.

"Mystery is solved and we were able to put it all together.”