Back from a trip to the Auvere

**gurov** · 10-30-2009, 09:16 AM

We retuned from one day trip to Sinimae. The wether this time was fine. Result is 3 soviet fallen soldiers and 2 german (1 estonian). All of them on the Grenadiers hill.
The report with the pictures will be later, tonight, I think.

**Paul D** · 10-30-2009, 02:16 PM

Hello Gurov,

Glad you have managed to get back over before the 31st looking forward to the report on your dig , thanks for posting the helmet and case photos.

I didn't take any photos of the bodies in the shell hole i'll find out if any of the others guys did.

Glad you are feeling better now my friend

regards

Paul

**ironcross1** · 10-30-2009, 09:03 PM

Hello mate , thanks for posting the new pics , the inside of the helmet is amazeing , it must have had an air pocket there where no dirt was touching the helmet for it to be in near mint condition.
And 7 womans names on the case , he must have been a busy man.
Looking forward to some more pics , cheers Raymond

**gurov** · 10-30-2009, 09:04 PM

It was a good day, no sun, but no rain also. At 9.00 pm we were on the second hill (Grenaders hill or high 69.9 from the soviet sources). First 4 hours it was no luck: we made 7-8 big holes without any results.

**Paul D** · 10-30-2009, 09:21 PM

by ironcross1

Hello mate , thanks for posting the new pics , the inside of the helmet is amazeing , it must have had an air pocket there where no dirt was touching the helmet for it to be in near mint condition.
And 7 womans names on the case , he must have been a busy man.
Looking forward to some more pics , cheers Raymond

I Think it was his family Raymond or maybe he was very popular !!!

Keep the photos coming Gurov

**gurov** · 10-30-2009, 09:29 PM

Then at last, at the middle of the field first really good signal. It was a part of the trench with the woods down there. The deep was about 1.80 sm. from the modern surface. After the battle special teem collected all stuff that was on the surface and push them to the holes: trenches, craters et cetery... It was on of such holes. We found there M24 case, MG box, russian and german cartidges, MG machingun belt, two german gasmasks, gasmask box, K 98 bajonet, messtins cups, two DP drums, flame patron and even teeth brush.

**Paul D** · 10-30-2009, 09:46 PM

Looks like some good bakerlite on the bayonet handle , did you keep it ?? You know how we like our rust

**gurov** · 10-30-2009, 09:50 PM

Then not so far from that place, very close to bodies found at time we find two fallen soldiers. Soviet soldiers. Not deep, about 40 sm. That's why the condition of bones was very poor and it was houpless to clen them up. Agricultural working completely destroyed the remains. First was totaly emty, only PPSCH cartridges were around.

**gurov** · 10-30-2009, 10:23 PM

Then, under the first soldier we suddenly found another ( third body ). Both of them lie in trench or a shell hole. First lied closely to the surface and his legs with the boots were under the head of the secons soldier. Second was deeper and his remains were in better condition. We clean him up. He was an officer, because had an officers belt. Also he has two rg-42 grenades, german rifle cleaning kit that he used as a box for a keeping of maches and other unrecognisible stuff.
All 3 soldiers were killed during the soviet heavy mortar (120 mm.) barrage. Artillerists missed, their target was a third hill but they bombed position of soviet soldiers. It was a fatal mistake - Germans used this opportunity and after two days of useless contraatack at last take back Second hill because most of defenders were killed by their own artillery.
Then they cleaned up the position from the dead bodies. It was hot and they have no time to burry them, just push them with the barb weir to the destroyed trenches and craters. That third soldier had a barb weir on the legs and have no boots. He was an officer and had long boots and SS-man took them.

**gurov** · 10-30-2009, 10:51 PM

Then, when remains only one hour before dark we fond two fallen German soldiers in trench, very closely to each other. Both were in helmets, flasks mess tins also. One was ss Estonian volunteer from 33 regiment, second dog tag we didn't find. It was allready dark and we had no time to clean them up, just took the bones. Soldiers were found on the higher, nothern part of the hill. I think they died during the first Soviet attack when the hill was captured. Then somebody pushed them to the trench.