The Plugstreet Archaeological Project German Ammunition Pouches.

German Ammunition Pouches. These ammunition pouches were recovered from a German front line trench not far from Ultimo Crater. They were excavated by Kat and she lists them as her favorite find: "I had the good fortune to have been put to work in a corner of our little trench under the trees that began yielding finds quickly (though not enough features by far until we were right down at the bottom). It started with large lumps of wriggly tin, bits of broken weaponry and glass. Lots and lots of glass bottles. When I hit something hollow with my trowel I immediately thought ''Waterbottle!'' Clearance around the square object revealed it to be too soft. Almost like new cardboard. I borrowed a little collection of forensic tools from the nearby trench and began to pick at the earth around and on top. Though our trench was under the trees, it soon became very hot crouched down in the corner. I stood up, and looked down at my find, and saw that it was in two parts. Fortunately Martin and Richard were on hand, and they spotted it, identifying it immediately as two German ammunition pouches. I was ecstatic - I hadn't then and still haven't found anything so complete. Further probing with a leaf trowel and a set of dental tools and we saw that the pouches were still full of rounds. All held together in clips, still attached to the belt. Kat working on the find. Nothing compares to the feeling, though, of suddenly knowing what you are looking at when it's lying half buried in the ground and knowing that there is no point in lifting it, if it can't be lifted in it's entirety. It took about an hour, but the find was successfully lifted and sped to the lab. Later that evening, and every evening for the rest of the week, I couldn't stop looking at them." Kat Fennelly. The German Ammunition pouches in the onsite lab. The German soldier in this photograph is wearing ammunition pouches on his belt. Note the narrow straps which fasten with a metal button in a slotted button hole on the base of each compartment, securing the top flaps. The standard issue German ammunition pouch has three compartments, each holding two clips of five rounds for the Mauser rifle, 60 rounds in total. More finds.