Pre D Day battleground Training Area.

[Steve T]

Very nice Lucky/ I love the 3 inch mortar fin and the straps are an unusual find. Good work on IDing them You're getting as good as me lol

Steve T

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Here are a few more finds,

Up first is the practice bazooka round with the (sadly flattened) nose cap posted last time. It certainly looks better for it, the cones diameter is the same aize as the body which is nice and it fits well but all the pictures I've found seem to show longer nose cones. If the cone is not part of the bazooka round then I wonder what it is off?



A nice piece of shrapnel, the front section of a mortar body retaining much of the original paint.



Another large piece, judging from its size it appears to be from a US M43 A1.



A selection of fuse shrapnel, most marked and dated









No idea what this is it was recovered from the same depth as the WW2 bits, perhaps its some sort of tool? as you can see it retains much of the original paint.





more to follow

LUCKYSTRIKE

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Ive done a bit of research into this relic.
When found it was fairly deep in the ground in amongst WW2 fired 303 cartridges. As I pulled it out and saw the internal piercing's I thought perhaps the remains of a smoke grenade like a US M18 but reading more I found it seems to have more holes than the grenades would have carried. So then my thoughts turned to perhaps its the remains of a US M3 Gasmask filter. (Below are pictures of these items for reference)
Because it may be junk I have only given it a quick wash to remove the mud.







A couple of marked 2 inch Mortar fins.





Although a little squashed I was pleased to recover this, Its the tail tube and fin from a US M9 A1 Anti Tank Rifle Grenade that retains much of its original paint. Practice rounds were painted bright yellow so am not sure if this is part of one because the paint colour is a faded white sand?









This is the tail tube off another M9 A1 Anti Tank Rifle Grenade (notice the stud top right). This one has traces of bright yellow paint so probably was a practice round. I like this because you can see it has been hit by two rounds that passed straight through it.



I know this is only a fired US M1 carbine cartridge but its the first Ive found here and amazingly was on the surface. Manufactured by Peters Cartridge Company of Kings Mill Ohio USA.



A later find but nicely marked military tent peg, perhaps bought at a surplus store and lost by a civilian free camper, who knows but another little part of the sites history.



No idea what this is, it still shows traces of red paint I was wondering if its off an ammo box perhaps for the wire of a handle?



Unwashed but I liked this cache of spent .30 Cal rounds all together in the same hole.



A few larger unwashed finds, these are all parts of mortar tails/ tubes and fins, oh and of course a hammer head .



Notice the US M43 tail with fins and another British 3 inch



and finally a very strong (I cant bend it) spring like structure, at first thought could it be part of a Piat spring? but after cleaning its not broken this is its correct length. Another train of thought is perhaps its the relic tube off US M7 rifle grenade launcher? Of course it could just be junk

Thanks for looking.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

[Steve T]

Nice finds LS. I particularly like the 30cals. Interesting that they all appear to be blanks.

Steve T

[ian]

steve t your right they are blanks
the crimped ends are seen clearly
cheers ian

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Thanks Guy's,

Well spotted they are all .30 cal blanks except just one which is from T W (Twin Cities Ordinance Plant Minneapolis) (19)43.



The blanks are all the same 'sweet' F A (Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia) (19)41.



For me these blanks are scarce because I cant remember finding many if any before. Finding them all together in the same hole makes it easy to imagine, a GI advancing up the slope then dropping to his knee's or lying prone while blating off a few rounds from his M1 Garrand Rifle at the imaginary enermy dug in on the ridge. Makes History come to life .

LS

[dangermouse]

Probably used to fire the rifle grenades

[Steve T]

Probably used to fire the rifle grenades

<----nods in agreeement

[ian]

judging by the still a bit crimpt look of them i would sgest they arelow powered BANG blanks not for firing grenades ,, they were much more powerfull "blanks" that result in a fully opend /round end to the blank
cheers ian