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Dig Watch: BoB Operation Nightingale (Wiltshire): Day 3

🕑 Added 2023-05-05 18:35:47 +0000 UTC

Comments

Nicholas & Elizabeth Dyer

Another excellent mini episode, makes me wonder what has been left behind on the Blackdown Hills, where there are 3 old airfields from the 2nd World War, Upottery, Culmhead and Dunkeswell.

Steve Jeffery

Oh crumbs Emily, no need to apologise, just me being pedantic as usual. I'm very much enjoying this mini-series. I feel you're really starting to get to grips with the new possibilities of streaming media that have come to pass since the original series. More of this sort of thing please. The Expedition Crew, consisting of whoever's free at the time, could drop in to assist all manner of ongoing digs without the usual three day constraints of the main show. Matt's done a great job hosting this one, and getting a video out each day is a credit to you and the behind the scenes team. Pat on the back and a refreshing pint all round I say.

Jon Colcord

It’s interesting. Your post had me looking at images of American military boots of the era, and I have yet to find an example of any WW II U.S. boot with heel taps on them. How many have they found on site? I was in the U.S. Army, and did some joint training with the British 1st ATR. We had fun and traded so much gear with them. I spent my last year in service wearing a pair of a British boots (which I still have!). I would be interested to know which boots these taps were coming from.

Jon Colcord

Here’s an interesting page with a little history: https://www.drillpad.net/DI_AF_Taps.htm

Jon Colcord

I have often wondered about tree carvings and how they can last so long without growing back over. Surely the rate of their decay could be somehow datable? Any arborists out there? I have seen some very old carvings on trees going back to the 30s.

Emily Boulting

Yeah! Oops... we were in such a rush to get it to you. Apologies!

Steve Jeffery

I was referring more to the mis-spelling of "veteran", but that's very informative, thank you.

Jon Colcord

We can never know exactly, but it does make you wonder. Perhaps it was a damaged or extra wheel pilfered by one of the troops to level out something on the ground, eventually sinking into the soil under the weight of whatever had been placed above it. Out of sight, out of mind, later to be buried and forgotten. When I was in the Army, we used to call that sort of thing “field expediency”!

Jon Colcord

There’s been some talk about how ‘Nissen’ huts differ from ‘Quonset’ huts. They are very similar, but Nissen huts tend to be smaller. Quonset huts came later, and are U.S. military creations, but their name is much older. They were inspired by Native American communal dwellings. The word 'Quonset' is derived from an Algonquian word which translates roughly to “small, long place.”

Jon Colcord

That is what they said. I’ve known a few who not only served in both Divisions, but who also left the Army for the other services. You go where your orders send you and do not spend a career in just one place. I myself was in the 101st for about a year and a half before leaving for Germany where I spent the rest of my days with the 11th ACR. The modern 101st is less about ‘Airborne’, and more about Air Assault (helicopters). I was in the Air Cavalry while there. The 82nd on the other hand is still very much all about jumping from airplanes, and that is where you train for that now.

Catherine Makin

Loving the daily updates. Really feeling involved in the dig.

Ryan Cole

So wait... Military boots used to have horseshoes on them, or did they use horseshoes to extend the life of the boot?

Clive McIntyre

Matt not only does a great job of presenting but just hearing him is a terrific link to the original series. It "digs up" memories of Time Teams' past. It's quite a reveal! Sorry, I couldn't resist the puns :-)

Sue Tweedie

Brilliant - thank you. Doing a great job of presenting Matt👍.

Mark Freestone

Great dig! Something I’ve never been able to fathom though, is how objects end up under the ground…like the motorcycle wheel. Surely it would have been cleared away when the camp was not used anymore? It’s only 80 years ago, so the build up of soil/dust wouldn’t have covered it over as it lay there would it?

Cheryl Kurucz

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Kylie Willison

I'm loving these and would love to see Matt doing more presenting in the future!

Patricia Amero

🙌 well done, everyone!

David Boon

Another fascinating update. I am so enjoying the additional historical information and insights that add so much more understanding to the archaeology. Matt yet again showing he should be in front of the camera more. Wondering about those tree carvings though. Surely they could be more recent. It seems a little convenient the two names just happen to be ones people now know out of all those who were there. Would appreciate information from anyone who knows more about these things than I do.

JUDITH COOKE

Really enjoying reconnecting with Richard Osgood and the crew of Operation Nightingale. Fascinating to watch the site being revealed and all the finds coming out. Lovely to see John, Kerry, Derek, Lawrence and all the diggers in the trenches and great to have Matt providing the commentary as the story develops. Looking forward to what happens next. Thanks everyone!

Jude Edling

Well done all!

Eggs Ackley

If the woodland area around the graffiti carved trees was used for field exercises the paratroopers obviously spent some amount of time there, probably repeatedly. Would that not be a good place to metal detect for rubbish pits, etc… (if detectorists haven’t been over it already)?