Banging on about my Mate Dave

Cautionary tale for Detectorists

Most of us are familiar with the automatic liquefied petroleum gas exploders we come across whilst detecting on arable land. You know the darn things – they make loud sounds that frighten birds and startle unwary detectorists; we tend to give them a wide berth. The picture is typical of the apparatus you might find in fields.

BUT ARE YOU AWARE OF Banger ROPES?

Rope Bangers

My mate Dave was detecting one day when he came across what looked like firecrackers. There were quite a few and even though they were clearly marked ‘explosive component. If found, place in bucket of water for 24 hours’, he collected every one and placed them in his finds’ pouch.

Who in his right mind would carry explosives in a pouch nestling close to his gentiles (sic) – especially on one of the hottest days of the year? The answer is … Dave.

Nazi Artefact Found in Cleveland

Peter McBride comes from Middlesborough in Cleveland. His first foray into detecting began in 1996 when he bought himself a Bounty Hunter for searching beaches and local playing fields.

During this time he found something very interesting and most unusual – a German medal, dated December 1938, complete with a facsimile of Hitler’s signature. With most great finds the question, ‘I wonder how it got there?’ often asked by detectorists, is particularly intriguing. This one particularly so!

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Cross of Honour of the German Mother. The decoration was conferred from 1939 until 1945 in three classes: bronze, silver, and gold. Reverse has impressed simulated handwritten script, “16 December 1938”, and facsimile Hitler signature. CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE