I'd love to say that 'I came across this US pineapple grenade poking out of a hedge row in Normandy'.

In actual fact, I bought it from one of the militaria shops in St Mere Eglise during my recent Normandy trip...

Attached Images

	dscn1634800x600qr6.jpg (48.4 KB, 9 views)
	dscn1635800x600fp1.jpg (60.6 KB, 8 views)

__________________
Regards
John

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

at least it comes from the right place anny way a nice relic
best krieg

__________________
for thow . will be ours someday.we shall have it all
... und mear.......

This is another fuse assembly which I bought at the same shop. After a bit of cleaning, I was able to remove the 'handle' to reveal the internal workings of the fuse.

I had always wondered how this type of grenade worked ?...

After the pin had been pulled and the handle released, a spring loaded striker would flip over and hit the top of the delay fuse which would then start the ignition process.

Attached Images

	dscn1654800x599td6.jpg (49.9 KB, 5 views)
	dscn1655800x599ri7.jpg (40.1 KB, 6 views)

__________________
Regards
John

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

This is a strange one...

A local farmer gave this to me when I was at Moissy with Martin Bull.

From what Martin and I could understand, the farmer said that it was part of a German tank ?

Any ideas ?

Attached Images

	dscn1639800x600df6.jpg (58.4 KB, 11 views)
	dscn1640800x600hm7.jpg (61.1 KB, 4 views)
	dscn1641800x600tc8.jpg (67.7 KB, 6 views)

__________________
Regards
John

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

Jagdpanther44,

The first I look for when I open this forum is: "has Jagdpanther44 or Martin Bull written anything today" ?

I am a rather jealous person, and I can promise you that if you had found such a hand grenade on the fields that I hope to visit soon, I think that I would change my "opening habits"

One thing that struck me the other day is that I think you two have choosen a perfect time to visit "the Falaise Gap". Just after the farmers have done their ploughing, and before everything have started to grow! Next year I think that I will pay those surroundings a visit in March too!

All the best!
Mats

__________________
Mats R

Mats, March is indeed an excellent time to visit, most of the fields were freshly ploughed and this had brought more 'bits' to the surface for Martin and I to collect...

I visited Normandy last August and that isn't a bad time of year to be there either, most of the crops have been harvested by then.

__________________
Regards
John

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

Jagdpanther44,

Dear John! (are you not tired of reading that?)

I might have mentioned before that my plans where to "go down there" at the end om May (same as I´ve done 6 of the latest 7 years) but family matters may make me have to postphone that until the beginning of September. But when I read what you wrote - I do not think that is a bad solution!

I have really enjoyed reading about yours and Martins last trip! And I think that we are many who have done so. So thanks again!

And if you find a hand grenade next time - please do not write about it :-)

All the best!

Mats

__________________
Mats R

Thank you, Mats.

Glad you like the posts.

I found this 2cm shell (the rusty one in the photo...) whilst Martin and I were searching in a field close to the Moissy Ford.

It wasn't long before Martin had also pulled one from the ground ....

Attached Images

dscn1653800x600uf5.jpg (42.4 KB, 12 views)

__________________
Regards
John

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

Great stuff!! Keep 'em coming!!!

__________________

This is a pair of Dutch resistance crystal radios, built into a small metal can, and a matchbox. The image is from a postcard bought at a Dutch Resistance Museum in Amsterdam. The matchbox is marked in Swedish, but Swedish matches were sold in Holland for many years..
Scott

This is fun - 'our' 2cm flak shellcases were found in the gateway to the field which is situated to the left of this famous photo. The gateway where the relics were lying isn't visible, but is at the top left of the picture, opposite the farm buildings......

http://www.strategos.demon.co.uk/D-Day/gueedelamort.jpg

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Can anyone identify this item that I found in the Chambois/Moissy area ?

It appears to be made of mild steel (it was very rusty when I found it) and is 30mm in diameter.

My first thought was that it is some sort of Luftwaffe disc or tag ?

Attached Images

dscn16641024x768ya9.jpg (111.8 KB, 10 views)

__________________
Regards
John

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

These discs were certainly used by the Luftwaffe , they are a common relic found at Gumrak,Pitomnik and Stalingradski which were the airfields at Stalingrad , Literally hundreds of them have been found.

One train of thought is that because they tend to be of different colours . yellow , red etc that they were used by the Luftwaffe as part of the evacuation procees from the pocket depending on the priority of the evacuee , however the Stalingrad vets i know who were flown out cannot remember being issued with such a disc.

regards

Paul

__________________
Nikto ne Zabyt . Nichto ne Zabyto.

Let no one forget . Let nothing be forgotten.

Nice piece!
Are you talking about the evacuation onf POW's or? Just curious! Thanks!!

__________________

This is a pair of Dutch resistance crystal radios, built into a small metal can, and a matchbox. The image is from a postcard bought at a Dutch Resistance Museum in Amsterdam. The matchbox is marked in Swedish, but Swedish matches were sold in Holland for many years..
Scott

Thanks for the info, Paul.

I'm surprised the Germans issued such a thing, considering the chaos that prevailed in the pocket during the breakout.

Do you know of any information on the internet relating to this kind of disc, I've done a quick search but didn't find anything ?

__________________
Regards
John

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

Can anyone identify this ?

I thought it may be the fuse timer ring from a shell...possibly flak?

It's 80mm in diameter and is heavy for its size, possibly made of brass or copper. My dad found one half of it and I found the other half two days later in the same spot !

Attached Images

	dscn16611024x768lh7.jpg (108.0 KB, 6 views)
	dscn16651024x768lc9.jpg (83.6 KB, 5 views)

__________________
Regards
John

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

I'm guessing here ( as usual ) but somehow to me it looks more Allied than Axis....?

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

It's quite possible that it is allied, Martin.

The two pieces were found in the field opposite the memorial to the P51 pilots and you and I both know how the area was bombarded by allied fire.

__________________
Regards
John

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

I'd say it's the base to a fuze of a US shell, but I wonder which type....

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson