I have a keen interest in the Second World War and got to thinking about the Battle of Britain and the dogfights that took place over Southeast England. Thinking about all the shooting that was going on the next step is to wonder about the thousands and thousands of brass bullet cases which would have been falling from the sky. I suppose there must still be some lying about. If anybody has one of these with the markings on the bottom I will gladly swop a used No 36 Mills Grenade base plug !!
When we do some shooting in foreign deserts we always imagine the Army will pick the cases up in our tracks. Maybe they don't ?
My enduring mental image of the Battle of Britain was watching, as a 17 year old, the contrails formed in the skies over the South of Britain as the air battles took place. I did a bit of GOOGLING for "contrails Battle of Britain" and found some wonderful pics and tales of derring-do on this site: Percival Stanley "Stan" Turner As only Churchill could have said ," Never before was so much owed by so many to so few"
What about the bullets that missed? They would have to come back down at some point. Wonder if anyone ever got injured by one?
If I remember correctly, AA shells that fell back to earth did cause much damage and injuries. Regards Tom
What about the bullets that missed? They would have to come back down at some point. Wonder if anyone ever got injured by one? I spoke to a chap today that served in the REME during WW2. He told me that when he was posted at Folkstone for a short while in 1944 he recalled to me how he was watching the RAF attack a V-1 and went on <chuckling> to say that he and his mates ran for cover as the bullets from one of the aircraft attacking the V-1 missed and came down where they were stood watching.
Ron's mention of the contrails reminded me that they seemed to be at such a great height we never saw any danger of falling bits and pieces, and just carried on as usual underneath. By the way Ron was your demob number 49? Jim
By the way Ron was your demob number 49? Actually Group No.48 ( In 1/10/'42 released 12/4/47) Regards Ron
I read (in The Hardest Day I think) about a Spitfire/Hurricane chasing a German aircraft low over a village and firing at it. Some of the villagers had to run for cover as hot cartridge cases rained down on them.
Britain at War magazine ran an article on this in one of their early issues - there were thousands of casualties, minor to serious, caused by AA shrapnel and spent munitions falling to earth during the BoB and the Blitz. The OTHER problem for a potential collector is of course that A/ a lot of what fell in open and public spaces would be "policed up" by the ARP after a raid - can you imagine the mess shrapnel wouuld make of threadbare and irreplaceable tyres in 1940??? B/ tens of thousands of small boys beat them (and us!) to it! As well as picking choice pieces up off the ground, a favourite habit was fishing for them in fire ponds and rivers with bare feet after raids!
My enduring mental image of the Battle of Britain was watching, as a 17 year old, the contrails formed in the skies over the South of Britain as the air battles took place. Ron, thought you might like this one then... Mischievous, laughing boys, who grew To quick manhood to be 'The Few' Who flew above all human call Through Summer's height to Autumn's fall, Infring'd the sanctity of space In freedom's name-and died in grace; Falling like leaves upon the Weald To russet-spot on English field, Their brief, gay, valiant season spent For us. Our task, their monument, Nature herself has taken o'er And has decreed for evermore, 'The Few' shall be remembered by White chalk marks in a summer sky
