WW2 Airfield.......The BEST visit yet !

[Digger]

Your profile says your located bang smack in the centre of England, is this in the Worcestershire region? If so contact the Worcestershire Historic Environment & Archaeological Service (WHEAS) immediatly, there is an overall UK archaeological project being run on second world war bases, bunkers, crash sites etc. The WHEAS are also running the "defense of England project" - if indeed you have found an aircraft wreck here in the UK, you need to report it to the appropriate authorities anyway.

I know that the thought of keeping these relics is extremely tempting, but everytime someone does, they are denying a piece of history to everyone - and hindering archaeologists in piecing together what happened. I urge you to contact your local Archaeology department, get them to register it, and have yourself put down in their report as the person who found the site. Surely theres alot more in it for you than just taking a few bits of metal back home for your collection.

[Steve T]

Digger

I can say with complete certainty that this is NOT an aircraft wreck, merely pieces thrown to one side during repairs. All the pieces were found in boggy ground behind a revetment and I believe are in an area where waste material was thrown from a number of revetments and buildings very close by.

I am a very honest and law abiding relic hunter. Nothing I have ever found has any material value but, if it did, I would be the first to report it.

Many thanks for your comments and conerns but I can assure you this is NOT an aircraft wreck. If it was I would immediately report it as it would be deemed a war grave and I would not be digging it but I would be standing next to Tony Robinson watching Time Team dig it up.

relichunter

[Digger]

Hi relichunter

Certainly it is arguable that everything found is of material value, as everything your finding is material culture. It may be worth just giving the nodd to your local archaeological unit - half the time archaeological agencies are unaware of these sites because people do not bother to report them. They will register the site and take appropriate action at a later date. What you are finding on the surface, may or may not be clues to something bigger. And if at some point an archaeological servey was to take place, you may perhaps be interfierring with findings and interpretation. By talking to your local archaeological unit, if a survey was to take place, they would be forewarned and forearmed by yourself.


EDIT: Plus I wouldnt let Time Team anywhere near it if it was a rusty tin can you'd found let alone an aircraft ;0)

[Steve T]

Digger

Many thanks. I will PM you to get some information as the land owner has specifically requested that i do not divulge where the site is.

relichunter

[Panzer 3]

Hi relichunter,
I must say that my view on this is that it is common sence that is it not an aircraft crash site, firstly as we all know the air machanics threw
replaced parts near where they were working and thats what you have been digging up. also if it was a crash site the ground would have been disturbed and the relics would not be just under the surface it would be between six and eight feet below if not more. I know of a crash site on my family land, a hallifax bomber went down there in the war the M.O.D, took the wreckage away but there is still some bits and bobs there,
we have dug about four feet and found pieces and there is still a depression in the ground, so your relics are not from a crash.
The bomber crew were canadians and were buried in a local village
cemetery.
Dave.

[Steve T]

I have been on various websites now as I was concerned I had been doing something illegal and not realised.

I am pleased to say that nothing I have done has broken any law. After reviewing the Treasure Act (1996) I am satisfied that nothing I have found is either in excess of 300 years old or made up of at least 10% of precious metal or is made substantially of precious metal. This being the case, my finds do not constitute 'Treasure' and therefore do not need reporting to the coroner.

There is a moral cause for reporting finds so as to record information for the benefit of the general public for any future archaeological investigation and to add to the historical database held by local government offices. However, this is only a voluntary reporting. I quote from the treasure act ;

However, all archaeological finds, if properly recorded, can potentially give us important information about the past. The intention of the Portable Antiquities Scheme, which from 2003 will be extended to the whole of England and Wales, is to record, for public benefit, all archaeological objects found by members of the public. All responsible finders should report their archaeological finds to their local finds liaison officer, although this is a voluntary scheme and there is no compulsion to report non-treasure items.

As i most certainly AM a responsible relic hunter I shall be notifying my local office of the finds. This information can be given in confidence to ensure a site you have found remains 'secret'.

I do hope this clarifies the situation for everyone. The finds are definitely NOT from a crash site as they are obviously from a 'refuse dump' on the airfield. The area is within 10 yards of buildings and revetents and there are no other aircraft parts there. Also, the finds were made at a depth of 12 inches maximum......far shallower than one would expect if it were a crash site. As such, this does not constitute a war grave and i am perfect ok to search the area.

Happy hunting !

Relichunter

[Digger]

Is "crash site" some sort of buzz word, like saying bomb on plane? Everyone runs round screaming ignoring everything else but the fact you said bomb? Haha.

The point I was trying to make is that:
A) I urge you to report the finds to your local archaeological Agency because it is beneficial to the projects they are undertaking - and in fact in this country by "relic hunting" without "morally" reporting finds to them, you are infact hindering them in the future. .

B)IF indeed you had found a wreck or crash site, you would legally be required to report it. Thats IF - I wasnt suggesting you had. :0)

Other countries as seen on this forum do not always have the same sort of commitmant to archaeology as we do, and therefore 'relic hunters' and volenteer groups are their only source of information on specific periods such as WWII. And as they do not always have the same training as archaeologists, information can be lost through invasive techniques. But thats another discussion

[bentley240]

Digger, this is a War Relic related forum, go jump on the various Metal Detecting forums, there the people your trying to slate, Relic Hunter is a very responsible Relic Hunter, and, as he has stated in other posts " I aint Stupid".
I know what hes doing, hes getting carried away and needs to be much more subtle, instead of teasing people with snippets.
Relic hunting is great, and even better when people remember that everything you say and back up with photographic evidence is logged against your IP address, which is traceable.
Relic Hunter wants us all to get our shovels out and start ripping WW2 airbases to pieces, no, I dont think so, just needs to keep it to himself, pictures are just pictures after all, and just as interesting to us .

[Steve T]

Digger

This is the problem with the written word as opposed to a face to face conversation. When we cannot see poeples faces the only thing we can go on is the 'tone' of their written word. With no facial expressions to go on or vocal signals, written words can often be misinterpreted....as in this case ! The tone of your post suggested quite strongly that i had done something seriously wrong, hence the replies you got.

I would like to end this matter with this post as this is a forum for discussing finds, not the ins and outs of the legality of my hobby.

Rest assured I will be reporting my finds. Can we please move on now !!!

Thanks

relichunter

[whittiejp]

Just wondering if those cartridges thart were cut may have been for use as a cigarette lighter trench art relic? I have a 40mm shell casing as a lighter non working now though.