chrislock Posted 24 March , 2004 Share Posted 24 March , 2004 Two days ago, I returned from a Somme visit and whilst walking past the site where "Ancestors" was filmed, near to Serre No2, I noticed a large hole has appeared near to the dig site! Could this be the dug out mentioned? Also, can anyone please tel me how to identify German and British and French UX SHELLS without touching of course? We all pass hundreds of the damn things, but whose and what types, please help? Thanks, Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 24 March , 2004 Share Posted 24 March , 2004 Chris, as a general rule for small-calibre shells, which are the most commonly-encountered- If the shell has a broad driving-band close to the base, it's British. If it has a narrow driving-band close to the base, it's German. If it has a narrow driving-band some way up from the base, it's French. Being short of materials, the Germans tried to use less brass. Another result of this is that they often used zinc for their fuses, so if a shell has a grey-looking, heavily corroded fuse still in place, it's German. Just LOOK at them, by the way. Don't move them. Some complacent people say that it's only a million-to-one chance that one of them will go off. Maybe so, but who wants to be the millionth one? Besides, as Terry Pratchett said, "The odds are that a million-to-one chance will come up, nine times out of ten." Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrislock Posted 24 March , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2004 Thank you Tom! Now I will know who to blame when I drive over one, ha! Seriously though, what about the big hole that has appeared approx 30yards where the documentry was made, any ideas, the possible dug out? It was certainly pulling in the guides and others 2 days ago when I was there! Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 24 March , 2004 Share Posted 24 March , 2004 Sorry, Chris, I forgot the bit about the hole. I wonder if it was the one in this thread some weeks ago? I'll have a look at it myself on Saturday. It would be ironic if the dugout (which I don't think they actually found) revealed itself by quietly caving in after they had gone! Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 24 March , 2004 Share Posted 24 March , 2004 The new hole that has appeared was well past the dig. The location of the dugout and trench that was dug was only about 15 yards from the Serre Rd. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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