Rare clicker used by Band of Brothers D-Day soldiers found

The clicker was found a few feet away from where dog tags that belonged to Band of Brothers members had also been discovered

A rare clicker which soldiers would have used to find each other during the D-Day landings has been discovered.

The find was made during a Second World War dig at Aldbourne in Wiltshire.

The devices, used by paratroopers who had been dropped behind enemy lines, were clicked to let others know they were on the same side.

The site is also where American troops known as the Band of Brothers trained for D-Day.

They were members of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne, US Army.

Ex-Yorkshire regiment soldier Jack Robson (left) identified the clicker and Adrian Ledbury (right) who is also a veteran, found the clicker

The dig was conducted by archaeologist Richard Osgood and a team of veterans from Nightingale and Aldbourne Heritage Centre.

Images of the clicker were sent to experts at ACME whistles in Birmingham, where they had been made during the war, for authentication.

ACME managing director Simon Topman, said there was "no doubt" it was an authentic clicker.

"It was a top secret project, and the 101st would have been given them as they were boarding the plane to Normandy," he said.

Lost to history

It had been feared the clickers were lost to history, but a small number have been found recently.

However, this clicker is the first to have been discovered using repurposed metal, which the company had to do due to restrictions on materials in the war.

They would repurpose tins and packaging from the nearby Cadbury factory to make them.

Archaeologists said the area the clicker was found is a few feet away from where two sets of dog tags belonging to members of the Band of Brothers were also found.

Andrew Fenstermaker, the surviving grandson of Band of Brothers member Carl Fenstermaker said he was thrilled to hear of the discovery.

"It's something that I'm excited to share with my dad and my aunt and uncles, all of his kids are still alive, so it'll mean a lot to them," he said.