A Few small finds today at WW2 camp site

[Battery Command Post]

Thanks Steve & Rob for the info. One thing I have noticed with these and other buckles from the site are that they have been covered up with what I assume is black paint. Realise this was for concealment purposes when in combat as you don't want nice shiney brass buckles, but was was this "official" practice i.e was different webbing issued to troops about to go into a theatre of operations with blacked out buckles, or was this the guys doing it themselves?

I have never heard of it being done officially or personally, but it is possible of course. Officially brass on equiment was supposed to be left to tarnish for active service use. I would have to look up my sources, but I seem to recall the phrase was "allowed to dull to avoid catching the rays of the sun" or something like that.

Are you sure it's paint? It could be oxidation or some other chemical reaction with the brass.

Rob

[harry211]

I have never heard of it being done officially or personally, but it is possible of course. Officially brass on equiment was supposed to be left to tarnish for active service use. I would have to look up my sources, but I seem to recall the phrase was "allowed to dull to avoid catching the rays of the sun" or something like that.

Are you sure it's paint? It could be oxidation or some other chemical reaction with the brass.

Rob

Hi Rob

Pretty sure it's not oxidisation. It is a distinct layer, which will flake cleanly off. I have tried to get a picture to show one but not easy. It certainly looks like a layer of dark/black paint..

It is not on all of the brass items I have found, some still being very bright, others with this layer, and this is for one's taken almost out the same hole, so pretty sure it's not a reaction to soil.

[Battery Command Post]

Hi Rob

Pretty sure it's not oxidisation. It is a distinct layer, which will flake cleanly off. I have tried to get a picture to show one but not easy. It certainly looks like a layer of dark/black paint..

It is not on all of the brass items I have found, some still being very bright, others with this layer, and this is for one's taken almost out the same hole, so pretty sure it's not a reaction to soil.

Yes it does look like paint, or something that was applied to the brass, I agree. I really don't know then

Rob

[Whitehunter]

Well done mate, Nice Button havn't seen that type before, Look forward to your next hunt


John

[harry211]

Been back at the site yesterday with my detector and have found a few more items, some more unusual, at least in this neck of the woods, than others!

You'll see from the pics below I have a few more buckles, a general service button, a selection of .303 rounds dated from 1926 to 1943, a .45 round made by Winchester and a 1944 dated 9mm.



Also found an old lead bullet, clearly not ww2 period, I have put a picture of it taken next to the 9mm for scale. Does anyone know what this is and when it may date from?



Now, for the surprising find, you may have spotted at the bottom of the photo 4 rounds of the 7.92 caliber variety and are wondering, like me, what they are doing buried in a wood in the UK, even if it was the site of a WW2 camp. They are not in great shape and only one headstamp can be read

P369 =Teuto Metallwerke GmbH, Klosterstraße 29, Osnabrück
S* = case is brass alloy with 67% copper content
13
38 = 1938

I have found many of these whilst detecting in France but have to say it is the first time i have come across them in Southern England! I can only assume that they came back with returning troops and were lost or thrown away.

[GasMasksUK]

Also found an old lead bullet, clearly not ww2 period, I have put a picture of it taken next to the 9mm for scale. Does anyone know what this is and when it may date from?

Its a Zulu War period Martini Henry bullet, I found a few dozen of them at a site near where I live

Thanks

Danny

[harry211]

Its a Zulu War period Martini Henry bullet, I found a few dozen of them at a site near where I live

Cheers Danny

[Steve T]

The 7.92s are very interesting Harry. They may well be 'bring backs' from Europe but you also need to consider if your site was used to train the army on the use of captured German weapons. You may also want to consider if the area was used as a transit camp for German POWs before distribution to their camps. If it's the second option, I would expect you to start finding buttons and items from German kit.

Looks like you have one brass round and 3 steel rounds. This may explain why you can't read the headstamps on the other 3

Steve T

[Walkwolf]

Great finds, Harry - Keep it up.........!

[cornishboy]

Im struggling to fit any searching in at the moment,but its brilliant to see someone else at it! keep up the good work,your finds suggest a realy exciting site.Looking forward to more