WWII Relics & Remains (3 Viewers)

[DeathHand]

With the huge numbers of dead during WW1 and WW2, these relic-hunter guys have only touched the tip of the iceburg. There are hundreds of thousands of soldiers still somewhere under the dirt in forests, swamps and beaches.

Another few hundred thousand or so will never be found because many were blown to tiny pieces or evaporated into a rain of blood.

I`d love to head to several places (France, Germany, Belgium, Russia, the Pacific islands, etc.) and scour the land: many of the dead are there, they just have to be found.

There is alot of money to be had for those that find a war site and just leave the bones - selling helmets, coins, ammo, daggers, weapons, papers, personal affects, etc. But I hate it when I see someone selling a dog tag-ID tag. Usually I see people selling German tags and if they could part with it and turn it in to the German authorities then perhaps one more 20 or 21 yr old could be listed as KIA instead of MIA.

 

[McM]

In the 80's we'd made 2 or 3 days trips on the former WW2 battlefields in the Ardennes woods regularly. Not explicit for relic hunting, more for outdoor fun (i.e. illegal shooting) and to get an impression of the old fighting grounds. Sometimes we'd found some war scrap, but more the worthless stuff. It's a beautiful area.

 

[RHPS84]

Hi, first post here....these pictures are amazing. Great set!!! So interesting to see.

 

[Funkleburger]

Rudolf Hess in his prison cell, Spandau Prison

Me is Hess's cell during the demolition of Spandau Prison by the Royal Engineers in 1987, check the door in both pictures for validation.

I served in Berlin for about 3 years, during an exercise we set up a bridge demolition with inert training explosives (Hayrics), about 1000m from the bridge we excavated a firing pit, during the excavation the body of a German soldier was unearthed. He had helmet, leather webbing and some of his uniform. The German authorities removed the remains and informed us that the soldier was a member of the Hitler youth, possibly died defending that very bridge during the battle for Berlin. I don't have any photographs of that. I recall a load of German equipment being unearthed in Smuts Barracks too, several German Helmets in tact. Smuts was next door to Spandau prison and I had the privilege of guarding Hess on two occasions. He was a sad and sorry figure, wearing his Paddington Bear style duffle coat. I was there in Smuts when he committed suicide, I know there was some controversy at the time as rumour had it the Russians killed him. He had a portacabin in the grounds of the prison, it had a patio door and he liked to sit in there and read the papers. He was found with communications cable wrapped around his neck (hung). He was fluent in French, English and Russian as well as his native language and one of his favorite tv shows was Coronation Street. If I remember anything else or can be bothered to dig out more pictures I will. Back to posting meme's....my fingers ache

 

[DeathHand]

In the 80's we'd made 2 or 3 days trips on the former WW2 battlefields in the Ardennes woods regularly. Not explicit for relic hunting, more for outdoor fun (i.e. illegal shooting) and to get an impression of the old fighting grounds. Sometimes we'd found some war scrap, but more the worthless stuff. It's a beautiful area.

That forest is a huge attraction for relic hunters and for military archaeologists. Sometimes stuff is just under the leaves and sometimes stuff is 3 feet under the ground (usually buried foxholes).

I`ve seen not just WW2 relics get dug from there but items from WW1 as well. Would be an awesome trip.

 

[DeathHand]

I served in Berlin for about 3 years, during an exercise we set up a bridge demolition with inert training explosives (Hayrics), about 1000m from the bridge we excavated a firing pit, during the excavation the body of a German soldier was unearthed. He had helmet, leather webbing and some of his uniform. The German authorities removed the remains and informed us that the soldier was a member of the Hitler youth, possibly died defending that very bridge during the battle for Berlin. I don't have any photographs of that. I recall a load of German equipment being unearthed in Smuts Barracks too, several German Helmets in tact.

I love hearing, or reading, about a long lost soldier being found - especially if his ID tag is with the remains and he can be identified.

Thanks for the post

 

[DeathHand]

On April 16, 1945, the Soviet Red Army began an assault on Berlin, Germany by launching a massive artillery barrage on German positions . Then almost a million Soviet soldiers attacked a main German position known as the 'Gates of Berlin', which had a defense force of only about 110,000 German soldiers of the 9th Army.

This battle is one of the lesser known battles that occurred close to the end of WW2 and it was called 'The Battle of Seelow Heights', lasting for 3 days as the Red Army encircled Berlin. The surviving German divisions were scattered and in disarray. About a month later Hitler committed suicide, effectively ending WW2.

In Oct. 2014, a team of Recovery professionals came upon the remains of several German soldiers who died during the Battle of Seelow Heights. They were found in a Soviet trench.

Klessin, Brandenburg, Germany

Set 12 (War Relics).

1.

2.

3.

4. The dispersion of equipment and human remains indicates that these men were...um, from the same unit..

5.

6.

7.

8.

 

[McM]

Oh nice, a StGw 44. Good thread!

 

[McM]

4. The dispersion of equipment and human remains indicates that these men

You didn't finish the sentence.

 

[msr]

You didn't finish the sentence.

Perhaps he fell asleep.

 

[DeathHand]

You didn't finish the sentence.

Damn, I bet that drove you nuts

 

[DeathHand]

With military archaeology one never knows what might be uncovered during a prospective dig. A dig might yield only the remains of a bent and rusted rifle or maybe a few brass casings here and there.

Other digs will have the payload: helmets, ammo, weapons, medals, ID tags, personal items such as a toothbrush, a razor, utensils, a comb, medallions, or a cigarette case, etc.

The military archaeologist (as opposed to someone simply out there with a metal detector) also strives to find the remains of fallen soldiers. Their digs have been unseen for decades by anyone and along with recovering various items, helping to map out a battle ground, their job is to try and identify any human remains that they find.

Set 12.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

[DeathHand]

Military dig locations are scattered all over over Europe (WW1 and WW2) with maybe thousands or more still waiting to be found.

What these people are able to recover, long after the battle ended, is astounding.

Set 13.

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2.

3. I`m thinking this might be a ring.

4.

5. I already know what member is gonna love this pic

 

[DeathHand]

Set 14.

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4.

5.

 

[DeathHand]

Set 15.

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2.

3. I have 2 of these.

4. But none of these ones.

5.

 

[DeathHand]

Set 16.

1. A forest where some of the above and below digs took place (not sure exactly where).

2. This German ID tag might mean that the soldier who wore it is is listed as KIA instead of MIA.

3. Looks like cleaning time...

4.

5.

 

[DeathHand]

Set 17.

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2.

3.

4. A prize find.

5. Another prize find.

 

[DeathHand]

Set 18.

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4.

5.

 

[DeathHand]

Set 19.

1. The German soldier who wore this ID tag is probably listed as MIA, unless the tag was turned in to authorities.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

[DeathHand]

Set 20.

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4.

5 Besides the usual German, Russian and America artifacts, every now and then some Canadian material is found.