GPS Used to Reclaim the Past

GPS technology can do so much more than just help you find your way around an unfamiliar place. Imagine having a general idea about where something is that was lost long ago, but not being able to find it. This is just one more thing that GPS can help people do. Military engineers in Great Britain have recently used GPS technology and 3D scanners to find the whereabouts of a crashed World War II Spitfire in a field on Salisbury Plain. The team of engineers was working with a military outfit of recovering injured soldiers to do archaeological digs in Great Britain. The GPS technology was integral in helping the engineers find the exact location of the crashed plane, which was shot down in 1940.

Using GPS Technology to Find the Past

The GPS technology used in the dig was handled by the 135 Independent Geographical Squadron Royal Engineers, who are part of the British Army. This group specializes in using geographic information obtained through the use of GPS technology and other devices to provide information to British military intelligence. They also use GPS technology to record the locations of their various digs for each excavation site. The engineers are active in archaeological digs featuring GPS technology to find more than just the remains of old fighter planes. They have also been involved in a variety of cultural archaeological digs to learn about cultures that lived in Great Britain over the years.

Spitfire Discovery
Discovery	Spitfire Mark I, shot down October 27, 1940
Location	Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, Great Britain
Pilot	Officer Paul Baillon, RAF
Excavation	Excavated by 135 Independent Geographical Squadron Royal Engineers, assisted by The Rifles, a group of wounded veterans who find therapy in excavating archaeological digs

Operation Nightingale

While GPS technology is important for the 135 Independent Geographical Squadron Royal Engineers, there is another aspect of their work that is very significant as well. Operation Nightingale is the codename given to a project that provides archaeological work for injured soldiers. As military activity continues in Afghanistan, Operation Nightingale provides a chance for injured soldiers to recover in a way that is productive and allows them to incorporate some military techniques and training into their excavation work. There is a great deal of similarity between certain military applications and civilian work (like archaeology). On the battlefield, soldiers use survey skills to find ordnance, but they can also use that skill to find cultural sites. They look very closely at the ground and pay attention to the finest details in order to find improvised explosive devices, but can also use that skill to find artifacts on the site. While all archaeology is not as strenuous as Hollywood would lead you to believe, the rigors of military life fit right in with the excavations. This project allows the recovering soldiers to also learn a skill that can be useful outside of the military.

Operation Nightingale
Purpose	To provide opportunities for wounded military veterans to gain confidence and self-esteem in an environment that can be very rewarding
Archaeological finds	Aside from the Spitfire, the group has worked on a variety of sites that have unearthed artifacts from the Bronze Age and Iron Age.

The Recovery of the Plane on the Plain

The plane that was discovered had been shot down on October 27, 1940, by the German Luftwaffe. The engineers were able to use their GPS tracking technology to find the plane. The general location has been known since the crash, but the ability to use GPS technology has allowed them to pinpoint the actual location. The pilot, Paul Baillon, survived when he ejected before the plane crashed, but was killed in action under similar circumstances only a few weeks later. Baillon’s daughter, Rosemary, who was not yet born at the time of the crash, attended the excavation and was able to glean a little bit of insight into the father she did not know. Amid the destruction of the plane were a few objects of a personal nature that will be cherished by Rosemary. She shared memories of her father through the correspondence with her mother.

What’s Next for the Rifles?

As the Rifles work to finish the dig on Salisbury Plains, they will plan to be there a little longer to make sure everything is documented correctly. While the Spitfire find helps to make the headlines, there are centuries of culture also buried at the spot that need to be sorted through and document. Before the Spitfire, the group also found a Liberator bomber. The group will continue to work with the 135 Engineers to continue their therapy as they bring new artifacts to light. The soldiers will be able to create and enhance skills that will continue to help them in their future. And that will ultimately help to make make all of the soldiers better.

GPS Used to Reclaim the Past