3 Thingies needing the Pros eyes

VonnPastTense · Nov 5, 2013

3 Thingies needing the Pro's eyes

Hey everyone

Having trouble ID'ing these finds. Any ideas?

Here's a vid of the finds:

DCMatt · Nov 5, 2013

VPT,

Nice to see you out on the hill again and digging good targets. Too bad your machine is acting so squirrely. I'm sure you'll get it firgured out.

Your button is an Irish militia regiment button according to the match I found on Worthpoint:

Still searching for the iron paddle thing. Interesting....

DCMatt

DCMatt · Nov 6, 2013

VPT - Been doing a little more research on your recent finds. While paging thru my Boer Wars book I found a photo of the Queen's Fort cemetery at Bloemfontein. Sadly the on-line pic I found is not nearly as clear, but the grave markers in the photo are the same shape as your wrought iron "paddle" relic. Not saying that's what it is, but it is the first thing I've found in the research that is similar.

DCMatt

VonnPastTense · Nov 7, 2013

Hey DCMatt

The possible grave marker is a bit disheartening...last thing I wanted to do was disturb a grave, but there is no indication of graves being there at all.

Thanks for your input!

VPT

DCMatt · Nov 7, 2013

Not to worry. Just call yourself an archealogist. Somehow that seems to make grave robbing OK.

I doubt it was a grave marker although possibly a ground marker of some sort. But it made me do a double-take when I saw that cemetery picture!

You're still digging lots of fired Mausers but still no British 303 cartridge casings. Very curious that they would be taking that much fire and not returning fire. Is it possible that British soldiers policed up their brass after the fight? Surely the soil didn't eat them up because your brass buttons are in good condition. Keep digging and the answer will present itself.

DCMatt

VonnPastTense said:
Hey DCMatt

The possible grave marker is a bit disheartening...last thing I wanted to do was disturb a grave, but there is no indication of graves being there at all.

Thanks for your input!

VPT