goldnow
Sr. Member
I've kind of run out of flat land to hunt on my property, so a couple days ago I head up the steep mountain to see what may be there. I found a very small square copper coin dated 1736, then a few minutes later my first modern silver coin, dated 1887. Being pumped up from the last two finds I headed to a flat grassy area, and almost instantly got a loud hit. Made my plug, lifted it up, the dirt was dry so the plug was very shallow, I see strange metal wings, lift it up, and realize I'm looking at a LIVE WWII mortar shell as I see the nipple is still complete. I more than gently set it back down. After I remembered to breathe again, I found my body frozen stiff, and had to consciously move one muscle at a time. My dogs sensed something and came over to investigate, I shooed them away, got my tools and machine in hand and stepped back quiet as a mouse.
Went home, told the wife, who called the mayor, who came up within an hour, we trudged back to the spot, showed him the mortar shell, he calls the Carabinerie (Police), we wait for them down at my house, they arrive, we trudge back up the mountain, show them the bomb, they take pics, measurements, put tape around the trees, and leave.
It's in the local TV news, hits the National newspaper, and still the bomb disposal squad has not arrived. The news and papers didn't give our names but by description of the location, people called to see if we knew anything about it, not knowing it was us who found it, so people today showed up to see it, and I'm thinking it's going to become a tourist attraction and someone is going to get hurt bad. It still sits on top of the land, with the plastic police crime scene tape beckoning any curiosity seeker, plus this is the exact weekend for the chestnut and mushroom hunters to start hunting this exact forest.
Maybe the bomb squad will show up this week to dispose of it, and I'll put an update to this post if it is worthy.
It sure looked bigger the first time I saw it, but actually it's quite small but still deadly. The last picture shows the valley below in the background, kind of.
Went home, told the wife, who called the mayor, who came up within an hour, we trudged back to the spot, showed him the mortar shell, he calls the Carabinerie (Police), we wait for them down at my house, they arrive, we trudge back up the mountain, show them the bomb, they take pics, measurements, put tape around the trees, and leave.
It's in the local TV news, hits the National newspaper, and still the bomb disposal squad has not arrived. The news and papers didn't give our names but by description of the location, people called to see if we knew anything about it, not knowing it was us who found it, so people today showed up to see it, and I'm thinking it's going to become a tourist attraction and someone is going to get hurt bad. It still sits on top of the land, with the plastic police crime scene tape beckoning any curiosity seeker, plus this is the exact weekend for the chestnut and mushroom hunters to start hunting this exact forest.
Maybe the bomb squad will show up this week to dispose of it, and I'll put an update to this post if it is worthy.
It sure looked bigger the first time I saw it, but actually it's quite small but still deadly. The last picture shows the valley below in the background, kind of.
Attachments
Upvote
0
