RRPG Club dig 19.08.12 'Army Dump' Finds!

[Steve T]

I was out with my wife and daughter at the local Steam railway, (Great Central), and had a couple of minutes spare waiting for a train to take us back to the main station. I wandered off down the platform to the 1940s NAAFI cafe to have a look at the very small collection of stuff they have in there as a mini museum.

This was in one of the cupboards. Shame mine wasn't in such good condition.

[Steve T]

Hi all

Well I paid a short visit to the army dump to get some bits to give away at The Victory Show. I had an hour spare so, of course, had to do a little bit of digging.

WH had told me that he'd left lots of bayonet scabbard bits lying on the surface where he was so I went over that way and, sure enough, the spot where WH was was absolutely full of scabbard parts. After 15 minutes I moved over a little bit to the side of where WH had been digging to a spot where someone had started digging but left it fairly shallow. I dug down another 12 inches and hit a 'seam' of bayonet bits. I moved over and tracked the hole in a slightly different direction and hit a seam of something else. Sten stocks, butt plates and thousands upon thousands of MG Belt starter tabs !!!!! And I mean thousands ! I was pushing my hand into the seam and literally scoping out 50 tabs in one go.

Unfortunately most were badly fire damaged but, once I find the edge of the fire, there will be plenty not damaged.

So, for an hours quick bit of digging, here is what I recovered..............



I just took a couple of the MG belt starter tabs with me. I left about 1000 behind on the surface



Sten Mk 5 stocks



These bits are as rusty as hell but I think they could be weapon related. The small rod contains a spring and, as you can see, what looks like a firing pin. Anyone recognise these bits from any weapon ?



Buckles and gasmask bits



Butt plates. I've cleaned them up.....24 hours in vinegar then a scrub with a brillo pad



Lee-Enfield ones.....



This one I think is an Enfield-Snider, but it might not be



The tongue is nicely marked. Just working out the unit as I write



This one I think is an early Lee-Enfield butt plate



And is also marked.



Not bad for an hour Nice little spot just to the side of where WH had been digging at the weekend

Laters

Steve T

[TonyE]

Most of the butt plates appear to be for Lee-Enfield Mark I rifles (long Lees). The "V" on the unit markings indicates a Volunteer unit, but I can't read the rest of the markings. Can you type them out please?

Why do you think the tubular butts are Sten Mark V? The Mark V had a wood butt stock like a rifle.

Regards
TonyE

[Steve T]

They were burnt Tony. The wooden stock has gone leaving just the metal components. They are definitely Mk V Sten stocks as they have the typical Sten mounting ring and lug.

The Enfield-Snider butt plate says V Mx 18 S as far as I can tell

Cheers

Steve T

[Steve T]

Here you go Tony.....took some better pictures for you.

As you can see, these are Mk 5 Sten stocks without the wooden stock itself, which has been burnt off as is the norm at the site where we get them from.








Mk 5 stock for comparison



Cheers

Steve T

[TonyE]

Fair enough! I did not realise they had been burned!

The butt plate markings indicate issue to the Middlesex Volunteers (V Mx) The 18 should be a rack number, but not sure about the "S", unless it is a "5"?

Regards
TonyE

[harry211]

a couple of cleaned up gas mask front ends, both dated 1942 and eye pieces. These sat in vinegar for a about a week and then had a go over with the dremel

[Steve T]

Nice bit of cleaning there They look great

Here's some more of my stuff cleaned up. Mk 5 Sten stocks.

Just gave them a whack with the hammer to remove all the rust. Nice little display pieces