Any current task which involves turning over earth, such as ploughing, road building, foundation building and so on, frequently still turns up a shell or grenade. There is a system in place in Belgium to deal with such potentially hazardous remains, whereby the “find” is reported, examined and collected for disposal. At certain times of the year when farmers are ploughing the fields it is not unusual to find small piles of shells at the side of a field placed ready for collection and disposal. In the regions of the old 1914-1918 battlefields where this happens it has become known as “The Iron Harvest”. Tractors can be fitted with armour plating underneath for the safety of the farmers.
A.