jgawne
Established Users
Just back from a quick trip trip to France and some digging. I was with two MASTERS of the battlefield and we went to a few places.
The one that really stood out was a farm used as a POW camp for Germans until they could be sent on. Under about 12 inches of earth, we just dug and sifted the ground. countless ration cans (American) and oddities like a german made lighter, buttons, belt hooks, thingamabobs, etc.
Once down about a meter or so the layer is sealed from oxegen and the ration cans are in really good shape. The small paper packets and such are still in decent shape(!). The find of the day was a german dogtag half from one of the Russian volunteers that fought in the area. Seems they used them as spoons- which is why they are found in the old cans. I'm told they tend to find about one tag for every few hours of digging.
Of course then we went off to a site where two U.S. companies were surropunded and captured. (As written about in my book on Brittany). The diggers had searched it with no luck before... BUT! when we pulled up the farmer had just cut an opening through a hedgerow, and had found the remainws of a Garand (now in my collection). So we went looking and where the hedge was cut back found a lot of small shells, to include a solid shot anti-tank round. Just amazing stuff. I'm putting it all together into a web page as soon as I have time time.
So the final touch was when my digging pal tells me " oh, I am really interested in the ACW. Can you get me any small thigns from that!" Now having come ome with bags willed with scrap metal souveniers I have to make up a nice gift pack for him. Anyone got any extra 'stuff' they want to sell me cheap?
The one that really stood out was a farm used as a POW camp for Germans until they could be sent on. Under about 12 inches of earth, we just dug and sifted the ground. countless ration cans (American) and oddities like a german made lighter, buttons, belt hooks, thingamabobs, etc.
Once down about a meter or so the layer is sealed from oxegen and the ration cans are in really good shape. The small paper packets and such are still in decent shape(!). The find of the day was a german dogtag half from one of the Russian volunteers that fought in the area. Seems they used them as spoons- which is why they are found in the old cans. I'm told they tend to find about one tag for every few hours of digging.
Of course then we went off to a site where two U.S. companies were surropunded and captured. (As written about in my book on Brittany). The diggers had searched it with no luck before... BUT! when we pulled up the farmer had just cut an opening through a hedgerow, and had found the remainws of a Garand (now in my collection). So we went looking and where the hedge was cut back found a lot of small shells, to include a solid shot anti-tank round. Just amazing stuff. I'm putting it all together into a web page as soon as I have time time.
So the final touch was when my digging pal tells me " oh, I am really interested in the ACW. Can you get me any small thigns from that!" Now having come ome with bags willed with scrap metal souveniers I have to make up a nice gift pack for him. Anyone got any extra 'stuff' they want to sell me cheap?