Looking forward to hunting this site

[Dean (Whitby Canada)]

I belong to a local Historical Society ( well more than one) and I have hunted a REALLY bad site for them a few years back...Well I have tried to arraing to have the bush and high grass cut on the site so I can try my T2 in there.
Now this site is an old secret Military Training camp from WW2...the area I will hunt is the Demolitions field, this area is covered with blown RR track and machinery, not to mention grenade bits.

I am looking for the brass "switches" and fuses that were used by the SOE and OSS for the demolition...Plastic Explosive was invented in Toronto for this Camp, and they used many experimental things there. In the past with my Nauty I did find a few things that are now in the hands of the group.

Looking forward to seeing how well the T2 does in this area.

Once the area is cleared and the weather gets better I will get in there and let you all know how it went.

Dean

 

[pineapple]

There were a couple of things I noted in your post and one specifically that some should take away from it. The HISTORICAL CLUBS. I read a thread asking about places to detect the other day and it has always amazed me that lots of folks don't realize how good a resource joining one of these clubs could be. I personally am not a member but a real good friend of mine here at work is and I am on several clubs newsletter mailing lists. I glean much info from these and have been invited to many, many great places to detect via my connections with the various clubs.

The other thing I wanted to mention was the area you want to detect. I hunt many military installations and have done some of them where demolitions were used. These are not the safest places to detect. I have recovered several types of ordnance that were still intact and explosive. Sorta reminds me of how I first came to getting really into the hobby of metal detecting where I used my first sure nuff detector in Vietnam. I borrowed it from the guys that used to work the minefields and stuff and would mess around with it while in camp picking up loose change and lost jewelry. It was after getting out of the service that I finally purchased my real first detector. I don't consider the one I bought from a popular mechanics magazine heath kit a real one. One tone and you were lucky to shoot 4in max. Had a great time with it as a kid though working the beaches in Hawaii. Be careful out there and have fun.

 

[Dean (Whitby Canada)]

Thanks Piney...I did EOD in the Canadian Army and know a bit about explosives and Ordinance...I found a 20 lbs Parrott shell in NC a few years back and disarmed myself before I brought it back to Canada.

As for the Historical Society..I am only hunting this site for their collection, not mine..I feel we need to save this impostant history.

Check out our website as it has much to do With American Forces.

campxhistoricalsociety.ca

Also here is a photo of one of the things they blew up..I have found parts of it
http://campxhistoricalsociety.ca/images/Photo010_soe_agents_explosive_training.jpg

This camp was sent up in Canada by SOE to Train Americans in "Behind the lines" Warfare BEFORE America got involved in WW2.

I found several of one type of device (4 were "fired" one is live) that cannot be ID'd..even using the FBIs fuse and explosive catalouge that I have...more than 1900 pages of these things dating 1890s 1973..my "friend" would not let me have the newer chapters of obvious resons.and I have no need of them anyway. I had the live thing x-rayed....I know old Ordnance and fuses...never seen anything like this one..I cant figure what it does..how it works..how you fire it..or how you attach it.
Among the items the Society now has are time pencils, pressure switches, AC Time Delays...American type pull fuses ect...not to mention the bullet casings we have...I found a pile of .30 Cal Carbine casings...and as Canada did not use these this weapon was brought from the US.

People should spend time in your local archives..I have found more info from the people that run these than anything else...Look at old photos held there..many times you will see neat stuff and you can ID the spot...helps cut down on hunting empty fields...find countie historys of the area you live in...they will usualy tell you the lot numbers of older long gone building, trade posts or Blockhouses.... lots of good info to help you keep ahead of the bulldozers.

Dean