Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 I didn't want to hijack the thread about WW1 and WW2 relics being found in Iraq, but it reminded me of a story. Waaaaaaay back in 2001, I was a brand new butterbar (can you believe I'm a Lieutenant Colonel now?!?!?!?). I went on a training mission to Egypt known as Operation Bright Star. Think of a force on force exercise involving about 40 different allied nations, having a massive war exercise in the desert. I was in a cavalry unit at the time, and we were co-located and operating jointly with a British regiment. During the maneuvers, some of our guys discovered a WW2 British army helmet buried in the sand on the very ground where the battle of El Alamein was fought. As it turns out, the British regiment with whom we were training was the very regiment who had fought in that battle 60 years previously. Of course, the army is in love with ceremonies. We had a ceremony where our Commander presented the British commander with the helmet as a token of friendship. Then the Egyptian authorities stepped in and seized it, claiming it was an "antiquity" and therefore not allowed to leave the country! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Never be afraid of high jacking any thread I start, CC. I love the personal stories and tangents that are generated. Great story, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Maybe Tutankhamun wore it in battle? Great story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badlands Bob #61228 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Those Egyptians are pretty possessive about anything you dig up in their desert. The British collected a lot of stuff including the Elgin marbles in the 1800's and refuse to give them back. The British History Museum is full of Egyptian artifacts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 I have, on occasion, been called a war relic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 But you have an M1. That makes it OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 I have, on occasion, been called a war relic. Better stay away from Egypt.... LL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Better stay away from Egypt.... LL No problem there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Jones, SASS 2263 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Found a couple of WW II Italian army helmets that belonged to two soldiers who were executed by the Nazis on the Greek island of Cephallonia, when the Italians surrendered. They were buried behind a church overlooking the ocean and the helmets were left nearby. Found them in 1952. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grenadier Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 I visited the highest WW1 battlefield in Western Europe a few years ago. It was interesting to see the trenches that were still in place nearly 100 years later. It was also very disturbing to see railroad rails twisted up like hairpins and handfuls of shrapnel still laying around. One could fill their pockets in no time with shell splinters and remnants of barbed wire. Some of the bunkers were still in place and in 80% condition or better (no restoration has been done) To walk where 30K men laid down their lives for a mountaintop was a very humbling experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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