Metal Detecting Safety

We attended a metal detecting safety course.

Digging in the ground looking for metal, in Germany, it's possible to encounter unexploded war time devices. Unfortunately, last year a backhoe operator hit and exploded a WWII bomb. The tremendous blast killed him and broke windows miles away. Fortunately, most unexploded munitions require much force to detonate. My son and husband have been metal detecting for over a year and have found lots of bullets, aluminum foil, bottle tops and a few coins. If bombs are discovered, it's best to leave them alone, place a marker at the location and call the guys in the photo below, or just call the police.

These munitions experts rarely get called, (maybe once or twice per year in Germany), but when they do, their knowledge leads to safety for the rest of us. Weaponry shot from tanks and aircraft can be found all over Germany. Just last year when the water level dropped in the Rhine River near Cologne, a portion of a village had to be evacuated while experts diffused a WWII bomb.

These devices all were likely shot out of tanks or airplanes as is evident by their aerodynamic shape.

Some adult members of the active metal detecting club discovered a body while out detecting. It was an American who died during WWII. Some family finally received closure after the authorities were notified.

These are anti-tank mines.

This photo shows two different types of landmines.

Thanks to these two young men who took the time to show us some munitions and give us a better idea of what to look out for.

After the safety course, the kids had fun metal detecting in the woods. None of them found anything too dangerous, although one did find a meat cleaver. Perhaps it was lost by a hunter? Hmmmmmmm.........