It's treasure, but it's not metallic

[Rammjäger]

These are postcards from German soldiers to their families made from pine bark from the trenches on the Russian front lines. Two of them are Christmas and New Year greetings during the First World War. And the postcard under glass is a birthday greeting from the trenches on the Russian front during World War II.

 

[hoser]

Holy Moly! Those are way over the top awesome. True treasures for sure. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Rammjäger]

Holy Moly! Those are way over the top awesome. True treasures for sure. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you hoser . My father in law was a german soldier in
the first world war .He survived a direkt artillery hit on their
trench and was the only survivor. I wonder what horrible things
these men went through..

 

[hoser]

My father in law was a german soldier in
the first world war .He survived a direkt artillery hit on their
trench and was the only survivor. I wonder what horrible things
these men went through..

From the things I have read and seen in old photos, soldiers from both sides went through bloody hell during that war in particular. Just can't imagine what all happened and really don't want too either.

 

[Rammjäger]

From the things I have read and seen in old photos, soldiers from both sides went through bloody hell during that war in particular. Just can't imagine what all happened and really don't want too either.

From what my wife told me, her father didn't speak
about the war and my mother in law didn't want him
to remember .I guess he had post war traumatic desorder
( or whatever they call it) .He was barely 18 years old
in 1918. We only know he had to fight against the french and
also the british army. Iron cross and wounded badge with Silesia
flag we keep from him at home.

 

[hoser]

Yes, some things are definitely better left unsaid.

 

[maxxkatt]

These are postcards from German soldiers to their families made from pine bark from the trenches on the Russian front lines. Two of them are Christmas and New Year greetings during the First World War. And the postcard under glass is a birthday greeting from the trenches on the Russian front during World War II.

In all wars soldiers had to scrounge for items to be repurposed. I found a civil war lead pencil. Not anything like you would imagine. The CW soldiers use lead bullets for many things because lead bullets they had, pencils they did not. They would take a flat piece of sandy or dirt smooth ground and drag their finger to dig a little finger sized depression horizontally about 1/4" deep and 2-3 inches long. They would pour molten lead in this depressions. Out came a half round piece of lead that had sharp edges on each top side. This was used to write on paper letters to their families. I found one of these at a Calvary skirmish site in North Atlanta. I had to get it ID's by forum members since all I knew it was a piece of lead but I knew I was at a CW relic site.

 

[Rammjäger]

Yes.I knew they also used lead bullets to make lead sinkers
for fishing

 

[maxxkatt]

Yes.I knew they also used lead bullets to make lead sinkers
for fishing

yes, I found one of those also. It was in a CW campsite on a buff above a creek in North Atlanta.

 

[HiDesertHunter]

Yes.I knew they also used lead bullets to make lead sinkers

I only recently discovered this when watching a YT detecting video.

 

[Rammjäger]

I only recently discovered this when watching a YT detecting video.

And they also made chess game pieces with them

 

[Rammjäger]

some years ago , I was detecting a 1935 skirmish
place and found a cuarter cut round lead
bullet which passed not to the time period of this
year 1935 battle.Later I knew that in the 1800s
the same place was used as a strategic military
control post. Perhaps some bored soldier descided
to make something artistic with that musket bullet

 

[Rammjäger]

I marked the cut lead musket ball I found that
day together with a silver grip knife and a 1800's
trunk lock

Im

 

[spence]

These are postcards from German soldiers to their families made from pine bark from the trenches on the Russian front lines. Two of them are Christmas and New Year greetings during the First World War. And the postcard under glass is a birthday greeting from the trenches on the Russian front during World War II.

Those are amazing ! Back in the day I sent a request for photocopier paper to my main office written on birch bark to make a point.

 

[spence]

Thank you hoser . My father in law was a german soldier in
the first world war .He survived a direkt artillery hit on their
trench and was the only survivor. I wonder what horrible things
these men went through..

Mustard gas...my mom's uncle came home with one lung and worked for 20 more years plowing snow and driving milk truck and daily pints of Old Crow.

 

[Rammjäger]

Mustard gas...my mom's uncle came home with one lung and worked for 20 more years plowing snow and driving milk truck and daily pints of Old Crow.

Exact! - It was mustard gas.
My father-in-law, after the explosion of the grenade in his trench, tried to cross a shallow area where that gas accumulated. Relying on his gas mask, he tried to cross that shallow area. But he did not notice the detail that a small splinter had pierced the filter of his gas mask. He fainted but was very lucky that a German patrol found him and he woke up in the lazarett.

 

[Kansashunter]

Very cool, thanks