Battle for Geilenkirchen

[ssg keay]

Two weeks ago I was out with some friends (I normally dig aircraft wrecks) who are battlefield nuts. After two hours of digging pounds and more pounds of shrapnel, we finished the day with 2x US Handgrenades (the heads were ripped of by the farmer's plow), 1x anti-tank round (fired), 1x mortar round with nose cone ripped off and a 75mm round from a Sherman. The biggest find was the door of a bunker, it must have been blown of the hinges when the bunker was destroyed. We only uncovered about 40% and then, exhausted, closed the hole again. We did report the explosives by the way, but I would love to have the bunker door out for a local museum perhaps (won't fit in my basement). Danny

[mcmike]

Did you take any photos?

[john647]

Hello good to hear you have had some success recently. If you need any help getting the door out let me know I could do with burning off some extra pounds. I hven't been to the Geilenkirchen area for some time but managed to get down to the Roer near Linnich. You will have to let me know how you obtained ur magnetron as I am interested in this method. I have a discovery 900 but think it is Kaput or faulty. Would love to see some pictures of ur finds. All the best John

[Airborne125]

Two weeks ago I was out with some friends (I normally dig aircraft wrecks) who are battlefield nuts. After two hours of digging pounds and more pounds of shrapnel, we finished the day with 2x US Handgrenades (the heads were ripped of by the farmer's plow), 1x anti-tank round (fired), 1x mortar round with nose cone ripped off and a 75mm round from a Sherman. The biggest find was the door of a bunker, it must have been blown of the hinges when the bunker was destroyed. We only uncovered about 40% and then, exhausted, closed the hole again. We did report the explosives by the way, but I would love to have the bunker door out for a local museum perhaps (won't fit in my basement). Danny

Hi SSg Keay,
Have you looked around the Pill boxes in the Prum area, near Geilenkirchen. That was basically if i remember correctly the startline for the attack on Geilenkirchen, there are tens of pillboxes in that area.
Steve

[ssg keay]

Hi guys, alas, no photos as some old fart forgot to put the flash card into his digital camera
The problem with the bunkers are that hey have been blown to chunks (mostly) and a lot of them have either been completely removed or covered over. I found one that seems intact and covered, but the rest are all damaged. I have to admit, I only started back with battlefields as I am getting jealous of all the helmet and weapons being found. I am a gunsmith by civvie trade and would love to restore some WW2 weapons for static display. Oh, by the way, last night I found the crash-site of a German fighter, yeahhhh

[Digger]

Just as a tip for finding your bunker, look for discolouration or shortness in the grass....also if you find areas of weeds etc, those are good places to get into. As no one can stop you digging these things up, we might as well make sure you do it properly lol!

[Ty Revelo]

Should you return to the area DON'T FORGET A CAMERA!!

rgds, Ty

[hassiman]

Please be VERY careful as the German KwK 43 AP projectiles were fitted with a bodenzunder (base fuse) which is unlike any of its predicessors as it came pre-cocked with NO centrifigal blocking system and the firing pin is held back from the percussion cap only by a thin metal collar which held 2 small balls in place. Over the years these collars degrade untill all it takes to release the small bearings and the firing pin is the slightest of movement. These projectiles ( KonigsTiger ) are very rare as EODs/deminers ALWAYS blow them in place without touching them. If it was fired it's even more unstable if that's possible.