Military Dog Tags.

Friday 25 July 2014.

 A total of 37 Dog Tags. Some round and some oval shapes. All with surnames, initials, religion and service numbers. Found while renovating a back garden.

I've read many a time of Military Dog Tags being found by metal detectorists around the country, and some of those found Tags have been reunited with their owners or members of the owner's family. The feeling of a family being reunited with such a lost personal object must be immense. I have never found a Military Dog Tag myself but if I ever do I would do my utmost to try and return it to the family of the person who lost it.

Now what brings me to write this post is because of a conversation I had with a relative of mine just recently. About 30 years ago I wasn't into metal detecting or history of my city etc, not like I am now. So when these Dog tags were found while renovating their garden, I remember thinking 'interesting', but that was that, they were stored away at my relatives house all these years until recently.

The past couple of years my relative has developed an interest in the history of Plymouth and the area where we live. Her interest turned to these Dog Tags and with a bit of research, mainly facebook I believe,  she managed to trace the family of one of these Tags and has since returned it to them. The family concerned replied how overjoyed they were receiving the Tag and sent a photo showing the soldier concerned in his uniform with other details.
She intends to try and trace all of them and return as many as possible.

Now I thought these were all WWII Dog Tags, but their house was built on an old Colony for those servicemen suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis after the great War, and was closed down in 1934.
Maybe it was then used for WWII operations as I have found many WWII badges and buttons within half a mile of this site. Plenty more interesting research to be taken up I think.

If any of you have experienced doing a Military Dog Tag trace before we would appreciate any tips on how you went about it. Also, it would be a good reference if I or anyone reading this finds one.