Hey all,

i introduced myself in the new member forum so i won't do it here.
Since 1,5 year i search the battlefield in the hurtgen forest and will place my findings under this thread.
Its hard to find a good spot where no-one has been before but its still possible.
The first finds i place date back to early 2007 and where done at a spot where the 22nd infantry / 4th US infantry Division has fought.
It was a long walk but worth it!

Great pictures man and cool finds!

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"Live as brave men; and if fortune is adverse, front its blows with brave hearts." - Cicero

This rusty can i dug up from a german earth-bunker and after cleaning i understood where it was for.
I always take things i do not what it is with me for cleaning, if its nothing i can always through it away.
This can is empty but used to carry the extra charge for the German 120mm Mortar 42.
So it got a spot in my collection.



Before cleaning:













After cleaning:

















Here an example of the black enameled canteen in use.

Well known photo's for me. ;-)
Nice to see them again, keep them comming!

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Eine Lichtung im Walde wo die Sonne scheint.
Eingeschlossen durch Bäume sind wir gefangen,
in dieser Lichtung Gottes...

Yes, i know, and you will see lots of them.

I forgot to place an example picture of how the can should look like!











And the mortar in action.





Here is an map of the area where i found these items.





At an other spot in the Hurtgen Forest i found an dumppit filled with items US/German.





German gasmask in good shape:





















Some trench-art:





German button:









US shavingcream:









Blade of an German razor:









US fork in bad shape:









A lid of an container for the 105mm Howitzer:





And here some items after cleaning:

I am surprised to see a gas mask. Were they issued at this late stage of the war?

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

I also visit Grosshau a few times, near the "Forsthund"... Don't know if you bin there?
But thats longer than a year ago.

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Eine Lichtung im Walde wo die Sonne scheint.
Eingeschlossen durch Bäume sind wir gefangen,
in dieser Lichtung Gottes...

The gas mask is in fantastic condition. It appears that it is a size 2 (medium) and the code byd indicates it was manufactured by Drägerwerk, Heinr. u. Bernh. Dräger, Gasschutzgeräte, Lübeck, Schles.-Holstein.
The partially visible WaA code on the mask is 533, this was the factories assigned inspection stamp number.

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Regards
John

"It is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look further than you can see" - Winston Churchill

Wow mate some great finds, very impressive, but what is the best thing you have found, is it pictured here?

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They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We shall remember them. Lest We Forget

Hmmm, i can't recall that name.
Does that spot has an second name?

I have a few favorite relics, not one special!
I will be updating this topic, and have more items to show in a while.
One of the items is an US bracelet with a great story.
I will post it later on!

Thanks for this great info!
I believe its an M38 model, but i'm not sure.
These where still issued till the end of the war, i found this one near a tree beside a ditch.

These are nice finds . I also believe the gasmask is an early version. The French can with an Axe is a "Francisque" coin from the Petain time. These were issued until 1944 , so it shows the soldier who lost it was in France in 1944 because the allied only gave bills to their units, not coins which he must have received as change when buying things in France.

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Forsthaus = Boswachter.

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Eine Lichtung im Walde wo die Sonne scheint.
Eingeschlossen durch Bäume sind wir gefangen,
in dieser Lichtung Gottes...

Yup, they were issued, but most of the men threw them away because gas attacks were almost non-existent. The army still issued them though because of the whole gas scare of WWI.

Man, U are so lucky to be digging this stuff up; I would donate a good amount to go to a battlefield and find stuff like this.

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"Live as brave men; and if fortune is adverse, front its blows with brave hearts." - Cicero

Sorry, did not see that joke.
And yes i've been at that spot!

Thanks for this info, did not know that!

The Francsique is the symbol of Gaule and symbolises the attachment to ancestors roots, the motherland, familly and labour . These were all themes that were popular for the Vichy goverment but these mottos and symbols were eradicated as soon as this regime was overthrown. I have posted Vichy government stamps pictures in the military section with the same francisque.

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Now i will continue with my finds from last year.

A cleaned item i found in an foxhole in the Hurtgen Forest.









A K98 beltholder after cleaning:









Another coin:





And here some pictures of how the battlefield looked like at that time!





















I spent half a day to dig out the dumppit and surrounding witch let to these results:




A German entrenchingtool:
Before the cleaning.









And after the cleaning:













An M1 Carabine magazin before cleaning: (empty)!













And after cleaning:












Later on i will continue my posts!

You did the right thing to look into the dump pit. The plates were specifically made for the Luftwaffe and are probably the most interesting items because you would not expect them to be found here. My guess is that they were taken by someone as a souvenir who then broke it in his rucksack and threw it away.

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