Did a session at extreme low tide and pulled up this copper label.
Pretty obvious what it means, just curious if anyone has come accross one of these before?
Some large targets in the vicinity, which I have some trepedation digging now!?!?
If it had read minelab store, now that would have really freaked me out!
No idea but itlooks interesting. Keep us posted.
Digging up a land mine would definitely ruin the day!
Did that coastal area see any combat/military action during WWII?
The entire Belgian coastline was part of the Atlantikwall during WWII.
A string of sea defences from up north in Norway to down south French/Spanish border.
A variety of bunkers were built and dotted along the coastline and major ports. This was to prevent invasion of mainland Europe from the Allies.
There wasn't any real conflict during WWII where I found the label.
If I remember correctly from the material I've read on the subject, there was some troop movements and camps in the area from the Canadian 1st army during the liberation of Belgium. Otherwise just some Wehrmacht occupation.
I've found a lot of 50 caliber rounds, small machine gun rounds, bullet casings, bullettips.
Always a bit shy when I come accross a large signal, tend to leave these well alone.
Normally our Belgian armed forces routinely conduct metal detector sweeps on various parts of the coastline, just to check if any ordenance is surfacing.
There is however a munitionsdumpsite, just shy of the coastline at sea.
When a coastal fishingvessel nets smaller ordenance, they tend to drop it in an area designated no-fishing.
Could be anything, because when the allied bombers returned from a raid on the major German cities and had something or other left over.
They now and again had a go at those bunkers.
Most of our coastal fishingvessels are shrimp and flatfishboats. So they disturbe the bottom a lot.
Anyway, just thought I'd post it.
Thanks for that interesting history lesson. I'd bet that land mines were at one time placed along the coastline. Lets hope they got all removed.
I'd also be real leary of digging any big targets especially along the beach area. Being the label is in English, could be a big clue.
If there's any remnants of those bunkers or the Canadian Army encampment sites still around, that might be a good place to search for old WWII era dropped coins, relics and such both Canadian and German. A lot of coinage in those days were silver.
Over here the only thing even remotely similar are rare dud explosive cannon rounds still buried from our Civil War.
The only 50 cal and larger cannon casings i've stumbled upon were during a 4WD weekend romp in a Southern California desert where i understand Gen. Patton trained his Army in desert warfare before they deployed to North Africa during WWII. All were spent casings and fired bullets except one unfired round i found. Didn't even need a detector back then, they were just laying all around the place.
Anyhow interesting stuff, history.
Being very well built, you can still visit most of these bunkers. Some have been removed for modern development, but most are pretty well intact.
Mooching aroung these world heritage declared sites is a big NO-NO!
Prohibited by law and frowned upon by the archeological and historical society.
Newbies picking up an ACE250 and having a go easily bag WWII era coinage, and are promptly removed from the metal detecting fraternity.
Europe would have been a different place if it wasn't for the combined effort of the Allies.
And I probably wouldn't have been around if that Canadian 1st army truck driver didn't fall in love with that Flemish girl.
I'm respectfull of these sites.
However did come upon a farm where for a short time the Wehrmacht held some armored vehicles maneuvers and the orchard where the soldiers sat and had their meals did throw up a couple of buttons and rounds. Only did it with a VLF and large coil, need to go back with a minelab.
Very interesting post thanks for all the info. I have only been to belgium a coupe of times and that was on an organised day trip to detect the beaches, interesting bits of ammunition were found along with some jewellery and coins, very enjoyable times.
That sums it up about wright.
lot's of ammo, coins and a bit of bling now and again.
Things have deteriorated a bit with regards to the older coinage and bling.
They are carrying out large sea defence works at every major harbor/coastal resort.
Sand is being dredged from deeper sandbars out to sea and then dumped in front of the breakwaters.
Some 10 years ago, the winter storm waves came crashing over the breakwaters and dykes.
Sand was very nice smooth stuff.
Now most resorts have something like a 300 yard barrier of coarse seasand between the dykes and the high tide line.
A lot of the older stuff is burried deep below, so we endure modern coinage and a bit of bling.
Now and again at extreme low tide, something comes into detecting range.
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