More finds from the British army dump

[Peter Laidler]

I personally think that you are being a bit harsh RPG. While I can see your point (but barely if you want the truth.......) I, personally speaking, don't find anything in the least bit unsavoury by disposing of some of the stuff you find. It's not as if it is monetarily valuable. If I was blunt, but HONESTLY blunt, its only value is its intrinsic value to a small group of people. And if you didn't dig it up, it'd remain there for ever (?) and eventually rot out.

I feel that by letting small amounts go to collectors of this stuff who are going to look after it, show it, analyse it, discuss it etc etc......, you know the sort of thing I mean for a small return to cover group costs and expenses and hot tea and coffee on the cold days - and cold pop on the hot days of course then I say GOOD ON YOU. And there's something else too while we're talking 'profit'. To be brutally honest and frank again, always the best policy, you're never EVER going to be either rich or in profit selling this stuff.........(just an opinion of course.

There's something quite romantic about seeing a SMLE bayonet dug up from an old training area slit trench on Salisbury Plain laying next to a pristine example on display

And there's something else quite savoury and honest about a few of these things going onto that auction site. Remember that when you do put some of these things on there, your dealings are transparent and honest too. Just my view

While I was at Warminster we had a young lady who worked as an admin wallah somewhere whose husband and pals used to dig up all manner of badges, buckles, bayonets, knives and forks (yes, some with Army number stamped in too etc etc. We used to identify loads of interesting (?) stuff for them (and on the odd occasion misusing our positions to send them in the right direction to identify the former owner/loser too).

Maybe I could summarise and suggest that it ought to be your little group honestly disposing of some of this stuff instead of the shysters. Having said that, I wonder if anyone vehemently disagrees with what I have said. Don't be shy......, I've never taken offence before and won't be starting now!!!!!!!!!