New WW2 gunnery range - Second recon July 2012

[Steve T]

Hi all

Well, I have been back to the recently discovered WW2 gunnery range to get a better feel for the place. You may recall that last time I found rather a large quantity of 2 inch mortar fins and fuzes. I wanted to try and track down where they were firing these from and also have another look in the stream.

After finding a 1945 aerial photo of the site, and with the help of some of the RRPG members, I went back to the site armed with better info about where to search. First off though, I paid a visit to the stream and had another dig about, recovering more fins and nose fuzes for 2 inch mortars. I then searched a couple of areas that looked interesting on the aerial photo but didn't have much luck. I ended up trying an area that looked fairly unused in the aerial photo and stumbled on some rather nice finds !!!

Help is needed on some of the bits please.

First up, the stuff I found today before I had cleaned any of it.



Odd bits first. Found these 'rings' in a fairly small area. They are brass and about half an inch across. All look damaged by an explosion. Part of a fuze ? What are the other bits ?



Spent bullets and two cartridges, one a blank with an unreadable headstamp.



The other one though is readable



I found an area with a few bits of grenade. Three base plugs and two striker column bottoms. This means I have found where they practised chucking grenades



Close up of the nuts.....







A few more 2 inch fins today.



Some of which are nicely dated......





And a fair few nose fuzes as well



Now for the best finds of the day. In amongst the grenade nuts I found these three items. The bigger one is a holder for a PIAT fuze, and I believe the other two bits are PIAT related as well Well chuffed.



Diagram of a PIAT fuze........



But the find of the day is this little beauty. Ok so it isn't exactly in pristine condition, but now I know the RA were there practising !



This site is going to be great. I can feel it. Just gotta wait for the fields to be ploughed......



Steve T

[cornishboy]

Sure does look good,great fin...ds again Steve you've come up trumps with this site

[jayh]

Nice one Steve , must of been something in the air today as I found a mint RA cap badge at mine and dans new site ! Well chuffed with that too ! And it's one of the ones that the wheel turns !
Well done mate look forward to getting over there at some point !

[davejb]

Great finds again Steve, apparently Brass versions of the badge had revolving wheels and were a private purchase through the canteens although there are some bronze gilted ones with the same feature, I too would like to visit this site if you can stand it for a day, i think its mainly because i want to see you fall over in the stingers AGAIN!!!!!!

[harry211]

great finds Steve - love the RA badge

[Steve T]

Thanks guys. And Dave, so long as you help me out of the stingers, your wish is my command.

Did you like the close up pictures of my nuts Dave? I was thinking of you when I posted them.....

[davejb]

NO WAY HOSAY, since when have you EVER helped me out of the holes YOU dug, you've just stood there holding your sides laughing, calling me names and making a point of telling all around that i've fallen down another hole, this excursion i will take great pleasure in cold revenge
As for those nuts, i thought they were pretty small for a man of your size, but each to their own i suppose

[Steve T]

It was cold !

[Whitehunter]

Good hunting Steve! those round brass thingys are from 2 or 3inch mortars i've found quite a few on my site

[Steve T]

A further find from this visit which has been awaiting Identification. Many thanks to Spotter for the final ID on this piece.

It was another stream bed find and at first I thought it was a split mortar. The raised ridge and 'clean' cut across the top made me think it may not be a 'normal' mortar round.

Turns out to the a 2 inch mortar signal round !!!! Awesome