USAAF airbase - Dump and barracks - May 2011
I divided my time at the base this visit, spending half in the dump, the other MDing around some old buildings.
The reason for the split in time is that the dump is virtually unsearchable due to the ‘contribution’ of the landowner and his JCB. I managed to find one undisturbed location but that had a massive concrete block on it that eventually fell into the hole and ended my dump search.
Managed to get some nice videos of finds coming up though. I’ll post the video up once I’ve rattled it together.
No super amazing finds this trip, but some nice stuff all the same, along with a curious concentration of 50cals 
:eek: 
First up, before cleaning and disposal of crap…..
And now after cleaning……
Electrical bits first. A very nice valve ‘RCA’ with ‘Made in USA’ on the back and a letter code. A small bulb found in the dump 4 feet down so definitely from WW2 era. An unidentified thingy and a fuse
Found loads of this stuff. Every single piece was, unfortunately, blank. Kept this piece as it still had the spool attached. I reckon it’s gun camera film
A Merlin exhaust stub lock washer.
Nice Colgate Ribbon toothpaste tube.
Now these caused a little intrigue that I think I worked out whilst at the dump. The information from the base records that allowed me to find this dump stated it was ’shut’ and ‘anyone found using it will be severely disciplined’ in late 1944. Yet I find a 1945 bottle UNDERNEATH a 1941 dated one !!! I then noticed that the dump was double layered, with a foot of ash separating the two layers. The base obviously re-opened the dump mid(ish) 1945, hence the gap and the dates on the bottles.
Lots of these bottles have been found in the dump. Are they beer bottles or soft drink bottles ?? ‘Smith & Son….OUNDLE’
Now onto the MDing finds. Amazingly I have discovered that the POWs that I know inhabited some of the other barrack sites were at this one as well ! The Franc could have come from a pilot back from a visit……but the 5 Pfennig piece ? I doubt it very much. This means I have another area that needs searching for POW stuff !
More tea ration tins. On the surface again.
The 20mm was found in the dump, a good 4 foot down. All the 50cals though came from a location nowhere near any buildings and all in a 10 foot square area. Even more curious, all the same headstamp :o I’d love to know how they ended up there.
And the last thing to show you is a spoon retrieved just before the concrete block ended my dump search. I was disappointed to see that the front had no markings at all. However, on turning the spoon over I not only find it is dated 1940, but it also has a lovely AM mark and a crown ! Little beauty :) and a new one for my collection of ‘cutlery stamps’ :)
Hope you like the finds and keep an eye out for my next video……you’ll see what I mean about the concrete block 
Steve T
