Digging History
Rounding-off our Conflict Archaeology section for this issue, Andy Saunders reflects on the subject and how it has evolved across some 50 years.
Conflict archaeology of the 20th Century is now an established area of research within ‘professional archaeology’. It was not always that way, especially in the UK.
In Britain there are no 20th Century battlefield sites per se, but a profusion of wartime aircraft crash sites, aircraft which were either shot down or crashed due to other causes. Many of these involved deeply buried wreckage, while others saw aircraft debris strewn across pasture, moorland or high ground.
Interest in these sites by grew exponentially in the 1970s, likely spawned by enthusiasm for the 1969 film Battle of Britain, which also kick-started the warbird preservation movement.
During those early years of wreck recovery, enthusiasm outstripped methodology or academic rigour. It was often a free-for-all ‘trophy hunt’. That said, valuable work was done by some enthusiasts, organisations and small museum collections – including the recording of historical data. Across that period, there was no academic or official interest in the activity from mainstream archaeologists or Ministry of Defence. Gradually, that changed.
As activity gathered momentum, the government was forced to take an interest in view of interference with maritime wrecks and, on land, discoveries of unexploded bombs and human remains. This resulted in the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986, which gave regulatory power to the MOD.
Since then, the position has evolved and it is fair to say that most excavations in the UK are now conducted responsibly and exercise better archaeological practice. Additionally, there is now an established academic interest.
CONSERVATION CHALLENGES
Today, recoveries are conducted in a more controlled manner, the finds properly recorded and conserved. In particular, the work by MOD archaeologist Richard Osgood, with his ‘Operation Nightingale’ project, and work by the Crater Locators team, deserve special praise.
That said, the work today might not be where it is were it not for the pioneering enthusiasm of those engaged in ‘wreck recovery’ in the 1970s when the activity was regarded as eccentric and of no historical merit. Those engaged were merely junk collectors - the Second World War a relatively recent event
Much experience gained across those years has relevance today. Of the objects recovered, many have been lost or scrapped, although some qualityy aviation museums, like Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, owe their existence to wreck recovery enthusiasts.
The finds on a French beach, detailed on the previous pages, highlight conservation aspects, too.
In 2013, the RAF Museum recovered a Dornier 17-Z from the Channel, presenting conservation challenges. In 1976, the Brenzett Aeronautical Museum recovered a Messerschmitt 109 E-4 from the Channel. While large sections were intact, corrosion was a massive problem and the remains became seriously degraded. Much has since been learned.
Nevertheless, these early amateur recoveries – some conducted 50 years ago – are worthy of their own examination. Across coming issues of Iron Cross, we will look at a selection of early Uk-based Luftwaffe aircraft recoveries in our Conflict Archaeology series.