Today we kicked off the battlefield archaeology excavations in Hanko. As usual the first day was much about making preparations and getting to know the team members.
Our first task was to pinpoint the possible location where this picture was taken in 1941. The picture shows German SS-Kriegsberichters observing the Hanko frontlines on the so called "Hillock of Death" in the early days of Barbarossa.
We opened up two trial excvation trenches in the area but didn´t excavate further than the uppermost layers this first day. Evidence of battle was easily discernable all over the rsearch area (spent rifle casings and schrapnel)
Volunteers from over 12 different countries fought the Soviet forces on the Hanko front from June to December 1941. The rifles and other weaponry used on the Finnish side was very varied indeed. No wonder therefore that we found a couple of spent Italian (frst world war) casings for the "Mannlicher–Carcano" rifle today.
Another interesting area of excavations is the Finnish (dug in) tent area just tens of meters behind the frontline trenches. Today we found fragments of uniform or tent cloth, Finnish unspent rifle cartridge ammo and various iron items in the surface layer of one of the dumpsites here.
We will contnue ou efforts "on site" tomorow. Please tune in on our FB page for updates "by the hour"