WW2 Airfield aircrew barracks - 1st trip since baby born - 2 NICE surprises !!

[Steve T]

Hi all

Well, I am back out there digging stuff up again !

My baby is nearly 2 months old and the mrs was fine with me starting up my trips again......so off I went !

I couldn't get on the airbase itself as I couldn't get hold of the land owner in time (I always ring him when I want to go out as I don't want him to think I am taking advantage !).

With the recent rain the ground wasn't too bad to dig in. However, it did mean that I couldn't take any photos or videos as my camera would have got ruined So I am afraid it's just pictures of what I found this time around.

I had a good day with a couple of really NICE finds that, until I got them home and cleaned them, didn't realise just how nice they were !

Ok....here we go !

Firstly, before any cleaning.



And then after cleaning............



Firstly some bits that will probably turn out to be junk. Let me know if you recognise anything here.



I was searching near the HQQ buildings to begin with, close to the debrief rooms. Could this have been used to run gun camera footage ?? It's 6 inches in diameter.



Some more odd bits. The three items on the left appear to be all 'made' from large calibre cartridge cases. The bits on the right......well there's a lever from a lock and two handles of some description. Again, if you recognise them let me know !



A couple of buckles and a couple of 'buttons'. I think the one with the stars on is American issue ?



I hadn't found any discarded toiletries for some time but made for it on this trip !! A couple of metal tubes, one for Colgate Ribbon Dental Cream and another for Macleans but in a bad state. The round tin is Macleans powder and the razor is a little BEAUTY !!! Made in the USA...... EVER READY



It's not the same tube but here's an advert for the Colgate toothpaste from the 1930's.



A one penny dated 1938 and a ha'penny so worn I can't tell the date. Above the coin appears to be the remains of someones wrist watch. I gave the area close by a really good search in the hope of finding the face but no luck It was at the same depth as the items I know are WW2 era though.



Some .303 blanks, a .30cal M1 carbine cartridge and a .45 cal. All WW2 dated.



Some nice .50cal cartridges and 2 more of those pesky cut through ones ! Now I know that cartridges can split like this in the gun barrel, but if they did, what are the 'remains' doing next to the barracks ? Also, the 20mm is NOT a split through as inside it someone has soldered a metal disc half way down !!!



Ok.....first surprise of the day !

A nice .30cal.



......at least that's what I thought when I dug it. However, when I got it home and cleaned it, I discovered it USED to be a .30cal but had been turned into...


...



...



....



......(building the tension)

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.....


.....


......


... A LIGHTER !!!! The wick is still in place and you can just make out where a nut was screwed to the base to allow filling with fluid and you can clearly see the notch where the flint would be ! I love this kind of stuff !



And my second surprise of the day....

A fork !



Doesn't look much does it ?


....but you can't see the other side....


....


....



....


....yet !


....


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.... Look at the stamp on the bottom of the handle ! I ran upstairs and showed the wife when I had cleaned all the mud off and saw it !!




So there you go. Not bad for a first visit after 2 months off.

Please help identify stuff if you can

Hope you like the finds

Steve T

[Ewan Stirling]

steve these new finds are mint well done love that fork and the ammo

[RH1941]

Steve T very nice finds the button with the stars is US it comes off the HBT (herringbone twill) uniform. The button would have been blackened. The lift the dot snap could have come off the M3 holster or a number of other US leather items. Gary

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Hi Steve,
Well done another nice haul, I love the fork not seen one like that before.
In your picture of the 'more odd stuff' fifth picture down right hand side, the C shaped object is part of a handcuff don't know its correct term but the loop that goes around the wrist. The securing/locking point is broken but the hinge hole is still there. I found one a while ago on my Airbase tip, if I can look it out I'll post a pic.
Keep up the good work.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[Steve T]

Thanks for the replies guys

Part off a handcuff ..... COOL !

The picture of the toiletries is a bit small so here's a blown up version of the back (I overwrote the picture of the front !)



Cheers

Steve T

[navyman]

Hello Steve,
The large hinged device on the right is a kitbag lock. The curved piece goes through the eyelets around the top of the bag, the straight piece can be used as a handle. I've still got mine!
Cheers,
Guy.

[Steve T]

WOW !!!

Nice ! Thanks Navyman

Luckystrike....does this explain yours to ?

Steve T

[VERSUCH]

Hi Steve,the circular item with FL 50970-23 is a Luftwaffe plug
/socket.Possibly 5 pin socket...I wonder how its got there....
Regards Mike

[Steve T]

Versuch

Well BUGGER ME !!!! You're right ! I managed to track the thing down with that bit of information you gave me.

***********************

FL50970-23 = Blindkappe (blind cap), installed in the inner cockpit area, in the near of the pedals), used on Fw190

************************

Jeez !!!

Well two theories here.

Firstly, one of the pilots of the base shot down a FW190 and managed to somehow retrieve a piece of it from the crash site.

Secondly, one of the German POWs we know were at the site had it on his person for some reason.

At some point, either the aircrew or POW dropped/disposed of it.

Because of the damage to the item, I am going with the first thought.

Versuch...I owe you one !

Many thanks

Steve T

[Steve T]

Could this be one of them ? Centre of the control panel, at the bottom below the last instrument. There seems to be something 'hanging' over one of the plugs but they look like what I found.

What do you think ??

Cheers

Steve T