The findings this week were mainly weapon- and medicine/hospital related. Two very essential part of warfare I guess. Last saturday me and Baard continued searching the camp we`ve been in this summer. We opened up a ditch that ran through the lower part of the camp area. It was full of signals, and lucky for us the metal was laying almost on the surface so we didn`t have to dig too much. Most of the ditch contained random vehicle parts and several car batteries. Baard found part of a Notek lamp and the rear license plate from a vehicle, a gas mask can, lots of unrecognizable parts and three small gaming pieces. Most of the bits I dug up we couldn`t figure out what had been. I followed the signals up along the ditch and suddenly I found a small section filled with medical items. Several empty pill tubes, a few bottles and a Heer thermometer. It was missing the tip and all the quicksilver had vanished, but it will display well. When the ditch had been emptied, we filled it back and checked a smaller ditch we also had located earlier. There I dug up the barrel of a flare gun and checked around for the rest of it, with no luck. Baard was digging some signal a meter away and suddenly he sat with the rest of the flare gun in his hand! That was so cool! After lunch we strolled around collecting mostly signal flares, but I also dug up two empty EKMs, and we found some other junk as well, but nothing unusual. At the end of the day we made plans for our next trip to a new site.
Yesterday we met up early and made our way to the camp we wanted to check out, where it was supposed to have been several barracks, or so we thought. The stroll there led us past a short trenchline where we stopped to have a look. M24 crates were sticking out of the soil, and a few even lay on the surface. The trenchline ended in a small fighting position which had a dumping pit in front of it. We took a break in our stroll to dig it. There we found parts of a large oven, several bottles, a big and nice field made candle holder and Baard picked up a nice Panzerhandlelampe from under the top of the oven! We piled it all up for later and went on to locate the area with the barracks.
 On place we found large dug outs in the shape and lenghts of barracks, but not a single signal anywhere in or around them which was really strange. We decided to go back to the trenchline and try our luck around there instead. Near the trench we found several dug outs and the detectors screamed about metals everywhere. We saw more M24 and M39 grenade boxes and racks just laying on the surface, so we collected the nice looking ones. I began digging below one of the dug outs and soon I had a handful of tubes with Frostschutzsalbe. Cream to help protect from frostbite. The tubes were full and in great condition. The more I poked around in the soil with my bayonet the more tubes appeared. It was like the ground was made of the stuff. Broken glass and some medical bottles also came out from the growing hole in the forest floor. The pile of tubes grew together with other bits, and then the first syringe needle showed its sharp pointy end. These things I have stuck under a finger nail before so I slowed down the digging trying to be as careful as possible, I do not wanna be poked with one of those again.
After a while it was lunch- and coffee time so I went up the slope to find Baard. He had discovered a whole bunch of the grenade carriers along a cliff. Lots of them! I had been digging broken glass and needles for a couple of hours without a single cut, but now when I inspected one of the crates I sliced open my finger tip like a genius :D During our break we heard this strange and loud growl from the forest. It sounded like a moose in heat or a large possibly mythical forest bird. It came closer and closer to us and I began to worry it was an insane bear or worse, a T-rex. I had never heard such a sound before. I was about to escape when we through the trees spotted a large yellow car making road surface markings on the freshly paved road :D Man, Im gonna write a mail to that company having them repair their paint unit :D
 The evening approached as I reached the end of the medical pit. The pile of stuff had grown big. I dont know how many tubes and ampoules had come out of it but more than hundred for sure. A few other nice bits as well, like a zink EKM (dont know if it is stamped or blank yet) a uranium glass razor sharpener, a losantine bottle in perfect condition, a few buttons and a rosodont toothpowder box. I sorted out the items worth rescuing and it filled a whole shopping bag. The rest was thrown back in the pit and buried.
The backpack became very heavy with all the medical supply but we still had to get as many of the m24 and M39 racks with us, so a few were strapped on the backpacks and one in the free hand. We took another, a little easier route back to the car and on the way we discovered an area full of building foundations, so we are very excited to get back there one of the next days to check that site out. 
It was late before I was back home and I fell asleep just after a warm shower, and the whole night I dreamt about digging. I found a great looking silver "Stalingrad" ring and a cache of MG 34s, so I was exhausted and a bit disappointed when I woke up. Prehaps I must spend the rest of today in the hammock :D

​Thanks for reading, and enjoy your weekend :)
​

 On wednesday I was at work until around lunch time, and after that me and the Girlfriend made a little roadtrip to the Wehrmacht camp to bring home the rest of the M24 crates. We filled the car to the top, but there was still a few items left. Gawd, how I miss my Transporter that would have fitted the entire pile in one go.
 On Thursday morning Baard and I were back in the forest to try find the area where the living quarters had been. Skule had other things to do, so Baards second son, from now only known as "Ersatz-Skule" came along, a friendly and funny guy, who got the first nice find of the day, a Kriegsmarine uniform button. We searched closer to the road this time, and next to a slope we began getting finds indicating that we were on the right place. Food tins and cream tubes began popping up. Baard had a massive signal and opened up a dumping pit while I strolled along the top of the slope picking up single signals. I found a small patch in the grass where some stuff had been burnt, and between the rust, some glass and lots of charcoal a field made ring came out. A simple but lovely ring made of brass. Next I found a small pit that was filled with wine bottles and food tins. After a while I walked back to where Baard and Ersatz-Skule was digging, and they had some more luck. They had found a silver bracelet, the top of a mess kit, a small tool box for a MG lafette and a quite interesting luggage tag made from a piece of brass. It had the rank, name and fieldpost number punched in. "Obgfr. Thiel Fpn 06998" which meant the soldier had been an Obergefreiter in a Heeres Küsten Artillerie Regiment. A very cool find. But now we were thirsty for coffee so we set up a real nice forest table. Half of a M24 crate on top of two wooden S-Mine carriers. Lunching with style.
 Baard continued on the dumping pit that became deeper and deeper, while I checked out another part of the slope where I located several ditches and pits with good signals which we ll open up another day soon. I crossed the almost invisible remains of the camp road, jumped over a deep irrigation ditch also full of signals into a section overgrown with ferns. Here I found a small dumping hole and opened it up. Lots of food tins again, a dinged up M24 head with the sprengkapsel inside, cream tubes, a few bottles and jars, a pocket knife and half of a rosodont tooth powder box. Under a huge fern the detector caught a good signal, and this time it was something a bit better. A nice zink EKM! I could see some faint numbers and letters so I was excited to give it a cleaning. I stuck my finds into the pockets and went over to Baard as I heard him yelling out.
He was all smiles and happiness when I arrived. At first I thought he was just messing with me, but he wasn`t joking. He had dug up a nice piece of porcelain with Heer markings, and better yet, a revolver!! Wow! A weapon! That is not something we have found too many of on our trips. It looked to be in a very nice condition considering the 80 years it had spent underground. The cylinder was missing, but Baard was determined to find it so he disappeared underground again. A bit jealous I went back to search for more dog-tags :D I had no luck with that, but I did find a large and heavy armour plate, which has to be from some vehicle. I hope some of you readers might recognize it.
Baard had emptied the pit and found the missing cylinder for the revolver, and a single cartridge for it as well. Definately the best find of the day! We spent another hour or so checking the slope with no luck except a modern Nato Carl-Gustav 84 ammo carrier, also a very neat find.
The day had to come to an end as we are old folks and were in need of food,water and rest. But the plan is to continue on this site one of the next days. Hopefully with even better finds :D

​Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day :)

The tag was apparently unfinished. It reads " 10  1/GEB  5 " and on the other side "1/GE"

Last week became busier than I had planned. I drove 500 km to visit my family and while stopping for coffee a bit more than half way there I could smell gear oil, and I saw a small drip from under the car. Not too worried I drove on but when I parked outside my parents house the smell was stronger and a puddle of oil formed. The wheel and wheel well was full of oil. Things did not look good. On top of that I had caught a cold. So much for a relaxing holiday. All plans I had made were cancelled and instead I had to try find a workshop that wasn`t about to close for summer vacation. I managed to find one but nothing could be done with my lovely old T4 before the end of the month. After some very nice days with the family I had to take a bus to reach a ferry place where the Girlfriend would pick me up. The bus ride was one of those from hell. Feverish and coughing I found a place in the soon to be overcrowded bus, and a quite large woman took the seat next to me. For every turn the bus took it felt like I was squished into a large pile of warm jello. After those three and half hours I developed a severe case of Post Traumatic Downs Syndrom, but Girlfriend picked me up and we were soon back home.
 A few days later my recovery was doing well and my friend Baard reported that he had arrived at his summer paradise and was ready for some metal detecting. Overjoyed I carpet bombed myself with vitamins, good food and rest so I would be fit for the forest again.

I met Baard and his son Skule, who had grown since last year. He was tall as a tree now. Baard had organized us a few nice sites to search and we decided for a forest that had housed a semi large camp consisting of stables, a larger kitchen, possibly some workshops and storage areas plus living quarters for lower Wehrmacht officers and soldiers. 
Large bits of rust were scattered around between the trees. A large soup kettle, a bricked up kitchen, two vehicles and lots of bits from rotted away wooden carriages. Pits, ditches and holes could be observed as well. After a walkaround where Baard picked up two nice Wehrmacht jerry cans we spotted a large pit with barrels and some corners of M24 grenade boxes peeking out and we just had to open it up. 
 I dont think any of us were prepared for what lay ahead. Under the layer of branches and vegetation was lots of these boxes, and when we pulled one out we saw five more. For the next half hour we lifted crates out of the hole and piled them up along the edges. Some long metal tubes for PAK shells and wooden crates for S-Mines were on the bottom of the quite deep hole. Much of the wood on them were rotten but I think a few of the S-Mine carriers we pulled out can be restored.
When this bizarre and very exciting job was done we needed lunch and a cup of coffee. Later we took the detectors for a spin to see what else could lay hidden around. We dug horseshoes, nails, wires, rifle casings, tools and oven parts, but nothing that indicated living quarters, but Baard found a nice 5cm PAK casing. Towards the hillside we found dug outs, caves and bunkers built of large rocks, but very few interesting finds.  After a while we were back at the m24 pit and began sorting that.      We opened up the badly damaged crates and in many of them the carrying racks had survived, so soon we had a small pile of good M39 egg racks together with a larger pile of the M24 racks. We stacked up everything worth saving and the rest went back into the pit. Sadly the rust had eaten large holes in most of the crates, but there were enough good ones left to offer the problem to how to get them out of the woods, and home :D
Then it was time for another round with the detectors and moments later I had a signal that needed digging. Gobsmacked I showed my find to Baard. I had dug up a nice Infanterie Sturmabzeichen, and next to it was a Wound Badge in black!! Im so glad Baard seconds later dug up a really nice coin from 1935 , if not I dont know if I would have made it alive out of the forest :D 
The rest of the afternoon I spent carrying crates and racks towards the parking place that was too far away so my arms grew long, while Baard kept hunting for the area where the living quarters could have been.
Tomorrow is a new day and we are ready for many hours in the forest trying to find the ruins of the barracks. 

Today I had lots to do at home so there was no time for any adventures in the forest. And I am pretty sure Jimmy too was busy sorting things in his bottle shed, the weather was nice for such chores today anyway. It has been very warm and nice lately. One of the days this week it got a bit boiling around the house so I decided to seek some shade in the forest. I planned to just stroll around and search for good signals and taking it easy under some large pines. I walked by a small dumping ditch I had dug many years ago and noticed the tree on the end of the ditch had fallen. Probably knocked down by one of the storms. I hadnt been able to search under it because of the thick roots with large rocks around. But now the relic Gods had opened up the last piece of the ditch for me. No saw or detector needed.
Relics peeked out from between the broken roots, so I just began removing rocks and a few remaining roots. There were a layer of wine and beer bottles on the top, many intact and with nice colors. These one litre bottles look really nice when cleaned and lined up in the window where the sun can shine through them. Tinier bottles also came out of the ditch intact. Perfume-, medical- and ink bottles. And again an intact lightbulb, I bet it will even work if I tried giving it some electricity.
The plan to find shade and to cool off had failed spectacularly. I was drenched. It was so warm working like this, and it attracted flies, midges, mosquitos and a swarm of horseflies. I tried to hide in the hood of my smock, but the constant buzz from the horde sounded like a busy autobahn and the horseflies landed in packs, trying to bite me trough the gloves.
​ One of the first bits of metal I put aside for saving was a whistle. I found a bakelite whistle last season so it was fun to get a steel one this time. I saw the bottom of a food tin and was surprised to see it had been worked into an ashtray, at least I think it is an ashtray. I hit a small ore of coins and gaming bits before I mined out a small pile of relics from the rest of the ditch. It took me a couple of hours and I was dirty and sweaty, and thirsty too. I didn`t find anything special but a small salt spoon, green from copper took the prize as Find of the Day. Later at home when I cleaned it up I discovered quickly that it was not made of copper, but from 830 silver, so that goes right into the treasure chest :D 
When I had filled back the hole and made sure no broken glass lay on the surface I took a quick spin with the detector to stretch my back and legs. I found one or two small pits for another day and dug up a Finnish coin before I drove home.

A busy week is coming up, but I hope there will be time for a stroll with the detector at some point :)

​Thanks for reading .Stay happy :)

...and large nails.

I used a bit more than an hour going up, and less than an hour down.

Around lunchtime on Sunday we were served coffee and cake at Jimmys. He and Tom had done some work on a few cartons of red wine the evening before, but were surprisingly coherent when I arrived. Over the coffee we discussed where to go, and what to dig. Usually we dig a dumping ditch, but today it was going to be a more relaxing "free hunt", where we just roam around picking signals and at the same time locate potential dumping pits for future expeditions. The weather was much more pleasant for digging than it ever was the last month. A light cloud cover and only 12-14 degrees Celsius, opposed to the near 30 Celsius we have been blessed with the last weeks.
 We parked as close to the site as we could and prepared for the day. Backpack with tools and water, mosquito spray, gloves on hands and turn on the metal detector. Tom strolled out to the slope in front of us, found a signal, removed a little bit of moss and soil, and lifted up an Edelweiss cap badge, got back up on his feet, said "Good luck, imbeciles" and strolled right back to the car, and off he went. Done for the day. Man ,that was the most effective digging trip if I ever saw one :D 
 A few meter deeper into the forest stood the foundation of a barrack, and around it I picked up lots of signals from good metal. There were no Edelweiss badges for me this afternoon, but I was the lucky winner of several meter wire, and a good handful of hinges and nails from the building that once stood here. Jimmy had found a small garbage pit filled with bits from a radio, lots of throatmicrophones and bakelite switches. We also saved a few data- and instructionplates from the radio.
 I found a small spot with lots of signals and stripped away a little of the moss to see what was going on. It was leftovers from a fire. It looked like a crate or two with some personal effects had been thrown out and burnt. I picked up buttons and clasps from trouses and jacket, a spurr, iron bits from Gebirgsjäger boots, a spoon, a few coins and some gaming pieces, broken porcelain and lots of nails. While digging I noticed the cloud of blackflies around my head and 5 or 6 horseflies were trying to gnaw their way through my gloves, next time I am going to wear chainmail and a mosquito netting.
Meanwhile Jimmy had found a large shell casing full of small relics he had dug up several years ago and just abandoned next to a path. Here was a loader for the MP38/40, parts from a rifle cleaning kit, screws and bolts, keys and a few other bits. He said it came from a dumping pit nearby, and we tried finding it again, but all we came up with were some 7.92 and 9mm casings.
 The very last part of the day we checked out a "corner" in the forest and discovered a few dumping pits. Checking a little in one of them produced a pair of M39 eggs and a gaming piece, so it definately might hold some good stuff. 
We withdrew back to the parking place, filled the cars and took off home. A few kilometers up the road Jimmy had pulled over and was running around the car, opening doors, so I stopped to ask if he needed help with something. Prehaps there was a moth in his car? Something he is deadly afraid of. - "My phone! My phone!" I could hear the frog in his throat grow, so I tried to calm the big guy while calling his phone. No sounds anywhere. -Oh,god. It is gonna be a looong night. Goodbye warm shower and dinner, I thought to myself.  There was little else to do than to return to the parking. It was not there either. We then walked back to the last place we knew he had used the phone and luckily it was still there, the wights hadn`t snagged it and taken it to the underworld yet! Great luck! :)

Thanks for reading. Enjoy your day :)

When the sun beats down on Northern Norway, heating up the deep valleys and activating tons of insects, it is truly more tempting to stay home around the house, chilling in the hammock and relaxing with some gardening,,or wine, than it is to sweat and fight with roots and rocks in the woods while getting eaten alive by the bugs. That is how it is been here for a few weeks now. The best start of a summer for years. One has to enjoy such weather while it lasts, coz the rain and cold will soon be upon us again. 
The few days we`ve had with a bit of a cloud cover and milder temperatures has been good for some metal detecting though, and I spent those out in the old Wehrmacht camps. Walking around with the detector, or doing any activity one enjoys, is good for the mind and soul. For me, strolling around like this, makes my mind wander. Thinking through things, solving problems that might have occured in life, planning trips or projects and getting ideas for things to create prehaps. Then, all of the sudden the chain of thoughts is broken by the signals given from the detector, and one has to put the shovel into the ground. I strolled around like this in the SS camp the other day, hoping to score some nice items for the collection. One of the first signals that woke me up from my daydreaming was a very good one. It could be a medal, or coin by the sound of it. I dug it up and it was a luggage tag. But an unfinished one. It had been cut to shape, had a hole drilled, and the person working on it had engraved "Schar" on it before it had been dropped. I wonder what it would read if he had completed it.. The site was quite wet because of the snow melting higher up in the mountains, and the insects love that combination of sun and moisture so the more hours I spent there the more I looked like I had chicken pox. Before I evacuated the scene I dug up a bunch of cream tubes, some buttons, parts of a radio, and a Finnish coin. A food can acted as a tiny time capsule as a soldier had stuck a toothbrush, a perfume bottle and a small oiler inside it, preserving the items very nicely.
Another day with similar weather I took a stroll around one of the many Gebirgsjäger camps. This camp has been visited by many detectorists through the years so it has been picked reather clean, but I managed to find a handful of relics worth bringing home before they become soil again. Near a large rock was a big signal. As always when I get those large iron signals Im hoping for weapons, as I never find those. But this time again it was something else. A cache of vehicle tools. Irons for changing rubber on tyres, wrenches and screwdrivers, and an unopened box with the Bosch logo contained a few brushes for a dynamo, all in great condition. I also found a M24 head, but this time it was a live one which I discarded in the nearby lake that is very deep, and probably full of interesting stuff. I need to bring my magnet there another time. After a small coffee break, I swung the detector again, and a few meters from where I had been sitting I had a good signal. Food tin, I thought, but man, was I about to be surprised. From under the moss came a aluminum Heer belt buckle!! Definately a rare find for me. You can throw steel buckles at me all day long, but this is hens teeth.  The last two finds that day was a part for a candle adaptor for the Einheitslanterne (karbid lamp) and something I have wished to have in the collection for ages, a fieldmade cigarette mouthpiece made from different colored plastic bits, mostly toothbrushes I think. A great little find that Im now figuring out a little display around.
Now it is time to bring a book outside and spend some time in the hammock, and unless Jimmy is drifting down the salmon river on his air matress, there will be a trip to a Gebirgsjäger camp again tomorrow :)

​Thanks for reading, enjoy your day :)