On this page are shown the fruits of a dig in an old US trash dump in Italy. The detector gives a good response, there is something large in the hole and the soil is eagerly dragged away. Above the tell tale rim of an M1 helmet is uncovered, in this case it's another fixed bale type. The fixed baled helmet being first issued in 1942 and widely used.
There is more in the hole as well as the helmet! The helmet is brought into the daylight for the first time in many decades, clearly showing why it was thrown in the unit trash dump! It has 9 holes in it, either from shrapnel or bullets.
The other items, that gave such a high reading on the detector, turn out to be an American mess tin both the top and bottom parts!
Below: The results of a hot days digging in the Italian Sunshine of May!!
Not shown here, as we have displayed them before, are the many myriad types of buttons and other small metal parts that were found scattered in this part of the Appenines. Although the buttons are mostly British, there have also been German, French, Belgian and even Swiss! The area was heavily replanted with trees in the 1950's, mostly fir. The thought goes that the fertilizer apparently used when planting consisted of rags - made up of discarded clothing, not a small amount being military. To which the buttons were still attached.