I’m 58 years old about 30 years ago my wife’s grandad told me about when he was a young lad. He remembers the Americans from greenham airbase digging a huge trench on Newbury racecourse that runs parallel with the railway line. When the Second World War ended. They watched the yanks drive all there machinery into it. He said everything from lorries to motorbikes them just back filled it. I later mentioned this to a old retired bricklayer I knew and he remembers it as well as a kid. There must be places like this everywhere. All the stuff from the war can’t of all gone as scrap
@TheByard2 жыл бұрын
In the Forest of Dean, Glos. I was told the US Army dropped jeeps and other surplus down coal mine shafts. One to save the cost of shipping it back, two to protect the US motor manufactures so they could sell new trucks.
@BatMan-oe2gh2 жыл бұрын
@@TheByard That has a ring of truth around it. Something Americans would do. Cheers
@TheByard2 жыл бұрын
@@BatMan-oe2gh During the evacuation of South Vietnam the US navy was throwing Huey helicopters off the deck of an aircraft carrier, "To Make Room" Who the F--- was going to sit on deck all the way to the US. ?????
@kcgunesq2 жыл бұрын
@@TheByard I believe that was to make room for additional planes and helos to land. Not so that people could sit there.
@phillipwood98332 жыл бұрын
Rumour has it one of the vehicles was a GMC workshop vehicle, complete with all the tools including, welding gear, lathe, drills et'c. I know several of the vehicles got "liberated" by locals as a Jeep turned up in the Highclere estate as the estate Managers personal vehicle. I know this as friends bought it and restored it.
@christopherfarrow5 ай бұрын
My Father , a tank driver with 4th RTR drove these across Rhine and at the end of April 1945, across the Elbe in support of USA 82nd Airborne the last opposed river crossing of WWll.
@grantm65142 жыл бұрын
It's crazy how time can change the value we attach to things. You read about major expensive recovery efforts to dig up random old vehicles, but at the time the farmer was like: "How do we get rid of this bloody thing? Let's just shove it into that crater and cover it up, we need to plant potatoes here or we'll starve"
@fatbongripz42072 жыл бұрын
americans don't say "bloody". we aren't in England
@bababoie23142 жыл бұрын
Huh? I thought americans use old scraps as target practice
@joshuabruce95992 жыл бұрын
@@fatbongripz4207 but it was recovered in the Fens which is in England. So the farmers were English, ergo, 'bloody' is accurate.
@iamalpharius62882 жыл бұрын
Makes you wonder about phones that everyone upgrades every two years and no one cares about the old ones. Will they be the treasures of the future.
@flippy66 Жыл бұрын
@@fatbongripz4207 This was in England, why would you think it's in America? And if you're going to be pedantic, what do you mean by "america"? Do you mean the United States of America? Because two continents are "america".
@naxis50002 жыл бұрын
Excavating them should be a series on Netflix. That would cover the costs at least, while making the process better at informing the public about our history.
@stevewilson63902 жыл бұрын
Good idea ! Recovery and restoration of military history .
@Mrfort2 жыл бұрын
Don`t forget the monety gain from YOU tube , last time i looked it`s somthing like 1000.a hour.
@playerroku44122 жыл бұрын
Right. Go to Netflix and demand a series. Easy enough! Wow!
@dhgcrack3r1112 жыл бұрын
@@Mrfort wgat
@xjjtvx25332 жыл бұрын
@@stevewilson6390 Should call it 'Saving Private History'
@julieannmatthews36392 жыл бұрын
I'm in Australia and I remember a New Zealander I worked with telling me that the Yanks had buried about 40 or so motor bikes in a big pit at the back of their farm. I can't remember whether they were Harley's or Indians. He always said it was his retirement fund as he was going to dig them up and repair and refurbish them. He had acquired all the manuals and army paint work for them from various sources. A Mammoth undertaking in the late 1970's, no internet. I have often wondered if he ever cornered the market in WWII motor bikes?
@MartintheTinmanАй бұрын
Motorbikes don't have heavy enough gauge metal to survive that
@garbagebanditdayz8192 жыл бұрын
I only knew of the LVT’s use in the Pacific theater. I definitely didn’t know the British used LVT’s to cross the Rhine, how fascinating. You learn something new every day.
@donjones47192 жыл бұрын
The Rhine crossing was a relatively brief event. They were used extensively during the campaign to clear German's from the Scheldt Estuary in the Netherlands. That was a long, difficult, and very wet task but it was always overshadowed by the faster and more exciting advances across France.
@hoogelande2 жыл бұрын
@@donjones4719 my hometown Middelburg, on Walcheren island, was liberated with buffalo`s. mostly because there wasn`t much of an island left after they flooded it.
@lostonlongisland68452 жыл бұрын
of course they did, nothing the british built themselves worked in ww2
@nelldavila32612 жыл бұрын
Did you not hear of the landings on France crossing the English canal? That’s probably the single most important event of the war
@garbagebanditdayz8192 жыл бұрын
@@nelldavila3261 no… I haven’t heard about D-Day one of the single most important military operations in recent history….
@Dj3ndo2 жыл бұрын
Hats off to these people preserving this piece of history!
@The.Pickle2 жыл бұрын
Every hair on my body stands on end when I think about or see what our ancestors went through to save our people and our country, I am so proud of them.
@robertkeddie2 жыл бұрын
My grandfather was a fitter in the RAF in the Middle East during WWII. He once told me that when they were due to leave, a local workforce was hired to dig a big hole and bury equipment not to be taken with them. No point looking for it - the workers came back that night and dug it all up again under cover of darkness.
@adruxit25262 жыл бұрын
dang I wanna be a “fitter” too
@TheChrisey2 жыл бұрын
Why'd they do that? Hide it from Nazis?
@stephensmith44802 жыл бұрын
Absolutely Amazing. I just Love watching stuff like this. It`s our history, that should never be forgotten. Hat`s off to Dan and these Lads, a brilliant job well done.
@PimpLeninАй бұрын
When my grandfather came back from overseas after World War II, he and his brother opened a lumber mill. It was located about 50 miles from New Orleans, which was home to Higgins Industries, which built most of the amphibious landing craft used by the U.S. military in the war. With the war over, civilians could buy already built but unused surplus from Higgins. They bought one and used it to transport lumber along the rivers and bayous here in Louisiana! They sold the mill in 1957, and with it the LCV. I wish I knew what happened to it!
@desmcharris2 жыл бұрын
Incredible! Love this WW2 archeology, and yes it needs to be preserved.
@brucekaraus73302 жыл бұрын
Why?
@andrewh54572 жыл бұрын
@@brucekaraus7330 why not.
@HollywoodMarine03512 жыл бұрын
@@brucekaraus7330 go away hippie.
@markbrown3512 жыл бұрын
@@brucekaraus7330 nothing like putting your hands on something physical from the past to get you interested!! And why comment on something that obviously doesn't interest you??? Or are you attempting to troll??? Badly may I add
@TokyoAkiHara2 жыл бұрын
@@markbrown351 Because it glorifies war. There are plenty of artifacts left over from the war already. Just leave it at that.
@samdevisser18812 жыл бұрын
In 1944 Buffalo's had a main role in the Battle of the Scheld in Holland. My hometown Middelburg is liberated by marines in Buffalo's. Recently there is made a movie which is named "De slag om de Schelde" which can be streamed from Netflix. The battle of the Scheld was neccesary because of making the entrance of the harbour of Antwerp (Belgium) possible.
@Bucksighter2 жыл бұрын
The re-enacting, equipment and locations all seemed pretty good and accurate
@samholdsworth4202 жыл бұрын
United States Marines? Or the British Marines? I can Google it but I'll wait for your answer 😂
@samdevisser18812 жыл бұрын
@@samholdsworth420 Hallo Sam, In the Batlle of the Schelde were a lot of allied forces involved, but mainly Btritish, Scotts and Canadian, Middelburg in particular is liberatod by Scotts. Have a good day. Best regards, Sam de Visser
@vipertwenty2492 жыл бұрын
A serious and determined effort to return at least one of these to running condition as a tribute to their crews should be made.
@trvman12 жыл бұрын
Be difficult at best. Parts would have to be hand made. it's a rust bucket, so refitting so much would be very expensive. In 50 years, no one will care about any war. It's the way parents today are and the kids they are raising. Museums will be dying and closing and anything to do with War may not be allowed to be taught in schools.
@vipertwenty2492 жыл бұрын
@@trvman1 Sadly there's a lot of truth in that. It would need someone who had the resources and really wanted to do it - there are such people but it's a matter of getting their attention. Interest in the past can depend very much on what's going on in the present, whether we're in a long period of peace or, like at present, at risk of some criminal in russia pressing the button just to prove he's tough.
@ChargerMagnum4402 жыл бұрын
A really worthwhile effort here to uncover the story as well as the vehicle itself. Would love to hear perhaps the story of the crew who manned this craft, people who ought not be forgotten.
@Husky1run2 жыл бұрын
We should never forget the Men that fought for Freedom in WW2 God Bless them all
@flippy66 Жыл бұрын
@@Husky1run Did you watch the video? It happened in 1947, so after WW2.
@Husky1run Жыл бұрын
@@flippy66 yes i did very interesting
@yatehay2 жыл бұрын
My grandfather served in the Marines during WW2. Its hard to imagine what it must have been like , moving closer and closer to the beach in one of these.
@HollywoodMarine03512 жыл бұрын
Looking forward to seeing the others recovered, restoration project, and them running.
@GrahamWalters2 жыл бұрын
They have two at Bovington tank museum, which I think are in working order
@HollywoodMarine03512 жыл бұрын
@@GrahamWalters awesome! Would be nice to see the excavated LVT’s to operating alongside Bovington LVTs.
@brucekaraus73302 жыл бұрын
Why?
@GrahamWalters2 жыл бұрын
@@brucekaraus7330 Basically, it's modern archaeology, some of us feel we should preserve these machines to remind us of mistakes and sacrifices made by ordinary people. There is a group of people in the word today who are all too keen on erasing the past, forget the past at the risk of making the same mistakes again.
@HollywoodMarine03512 жыл бұрын
@@brucekaraus7330 you must live a boring life if you continue asking the same question on different viewer comments.
@wsherratt51592 жыл бұрын
Brilliant! Hats off to you guys who follow these tasks through to bring back to life living history. Well done to you all and please please keep it going. Wayne
@Pattern51lover2 жыл бұрын
My mom got to drive one of these at a local theme park when she was a little girl back in the 60’s. They had been surplussed free the war and were a cheap thrill ride back in the day. I am pretty jealous
@legobatman83532 жыл бұрын
Apparently there is a ton of equipment buried in Southampton on the common and in the New Forest where troops were billeted.
@Starshine20072 жыл бұрын
Sharp intake of breath; reflective thought on how things might have been different; incredibly thankful for all those who fought back against Fascism; in memory of everyone we lost in WW1 & WW2 we continue.
@Immortal_BP2 жыл бұрын
the fact the back opens up without any maintenance besides cleaning is incredible... stainless steel is also incredible
@howardrundle48622 жыл бұрын
Wonderful history unearthed, well done to all involved :)
@ChrisPbiker2 жыл бұрын
My father, in the Royal Navy during WW11, told me of his experience ferrying troops and equipment across the Rhine, a period he described as being better than his earlier times "on the Atlantic runs". I wonder if he "steered a buffalo"? I wish he were still here to ask!
@joshjacobjonesjoshjacobjon28992 жыл бұрын
Did I enter a different time but not notice as damn WW11 😮 I'VE MISSED 9 WORLD WARS, just joking I am from a long past an present military family including them in WW2. The stories and experiences of told since I was a kid fascinated me an made me even more interested jn being in the military but learning about so much WW2 related mainly I think was an unbelievable time! Would love to go back in time an see things myself ( as crazy as that sounds 😀 ) To be jn the military you have to be a little bit mad as my Grandfather would always say. I didn't mean to come across like an asshole. I was just being humourous but I apologise if you feel a certain way about it 😀 I hope you're doing well too, whoever an wherever you are from I wish a great 2022 to you!! If you're going through something as we all usually are I hope things get better real fast! 🙏
@BatMan-oe2gh2 жыл бұрын
All I have to say is, Well Done and a great story. All History must be remembered. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, all must be told.
@banterlad15142 жыл бұрын
Amazing effort by all involved.
@herb20782 жыл бұрын
Amazing work gents! Fantastic to see what a piece of history
@garethbliss2 жыл бұрын
There are hundreds of Shot down Luftwaffe aircraft wrecks buried under a golf course in Oxfordshire. A friends wartime relative had the horrible job of removing the remains of the crews first.
@timtaylor13652 жыл бұрын
Absolutely amazing. What an incredible story and hard work piecing it all together - well done indeed!
@paulackley69192 жыл бұрын
Throughly enjoyed this video. Remembering all who served & sacrificed.
@HeavyH20062 жыл бұрын
Wow An absolutely amazing adventure story! Hats off to these committed enthusiasts. Bring them up and let the buffaloes roam!!
@dougtheviking65032 жыл бұрын
Excellent job 👏. Way to go Brits! 🇬🇧 Hope you can recover the rest . What a job man all that mud out of that thing .
@martijnvandonselaar89572 жыл бұрын
Thet have been used in Zeeland, in the battle for the Scheldt River, 1945. There is plenty film and pics of them being around.
@nickwebb78682 жыл бұрын
I am just surprised that Bruce Crompton did not get wind of this. i bet he would be up there like a shot
@Bill_88642 жыл бұрын
78 years later on, we are still finding things from the landings, AMAZING !
@jonnyh93882 жыл бұрын
Brilliant. Thanks for reporting this guys. I wish you luck for the future!
@robertreynolds80922 жыл бұрын
Trying to stem a flood with amphibious vehicles, just brilliant.
@gloriaspencer92202 жыл бұрын
Absolutely amazing. So awesome, can’t wait to see the rest. History should be preserved. Thank You for what you do.
@justabearp87892 жыл бұрын
These were also used heavily by the Canadian Army during the campaign through Holland, Battle Of The Scheldt and the attack on Walcheren Island.
@chas2can1242 жыл бұрын
As an ADF Veteran I applaud what this means for all of the Australian Soldiers did for the British Empire. Lest We Forget.
@LAFTA2 жыл бұрын
Brilliant work lads, what an amazing piece of history!
@kensherwood48662 жыл бұрын
Fascinating, my Dad did his National Service based at Buncrew house north of Inverness in 1947. He was just a lad and one night, nothing to do, a group took a Buffalo without permission out onto the Firth next to the house, something went wrong and it started to take on water, in difficult waters at night, no-one knowing what they were up to, he said they were very fortunate to be able to get back to shore without sinking.
@theodorewiltrout8770Ай бұрын
I'm praying that they excavate the rest and restore all of them to remember all great men who served in WW2.
@RobertEHunt-dv9sq2 жыл бұрын
Good work Brit team for locating this relic and saving it. Let’s get the remainder of them out of the muck. Great to save this equipment. If you need volunteers, I’m in. I’ll bring the WD-40!!!
@khcopter2 жыл бұрын
Wow thank you for making that that was really cool!!!
@auditoryrythms873 Жыл бұрын
This is crazy, I used to live in spalding nearly 30 years ago and would never have known this until I found this video. Amazing find!
@BigMrFirebird2 жыл бұрын
This may have been used in the storming of Walcheren, Holland.
@Mortimer9922 жыл бұрын
over 70 Years and still partially working. What would I give for our technology to do the same.
@andyleaver55782 жыл бұрын
Amazing they need all the support
@mjs96582 жыл бұрын
Dan Snow....he opens his mouth and his arms start moving....incredible. Let the story speak.
@martinjohnson93162 жыл бұрын
Very annoying so called presenter.
@mclew12342 жыл бұрын
Will be amazing if they manage to recover all of them, wonder how many they can return to a reasonable standard for display or running from original parts if they cobble them together
@brucekaraus73302 жыл бұрын
Why?
@HollywoodMarine03512 жыл бұрын
@@brucekaraus7330 why not? Life with your two dogs in NM getting you down?
@MianCowell2 жыл бұрын
Rebuilding the engine will probably be the hardest part
@matthewschrimpshire85282 жыл бұрын
I hope to see you guys dig up another 1
@keyserzoom91542 жыл бұрын
I suppose the modern day version is the US army leaving over $80 billion of equipment behind in Afghanistan.
@patagualianmostly74372 жыл бұрын
.....Because they can..... But let's not mention the human cost...eh?
@jimminey-fooking-cricket49032 жыл бұрын
In 48 the Fraser river in BC Canada flooded and news footage at the time show buffalo's been used to save people and livestock.
@thedungeondelver2 жыл бұрын
"Oh bugger, the LVT's on fire"
@ElementalMassage2 жыл бұрын
Great video! Thank you and you family for all the work you do!
@jmanhuntley2 жыл бұрын
Fantastic job chaps. Really keen to learn more and see you unearth some more..
@razorsedge64682 жыл бұрын
That's awesome. I hope you can find more. I hope they will be restored and put on display.
@malcontender63192 жыл бұрын
They don't make em like that anymore. Well done.
@zJoriz2 жыл бұрын
I just have this vision of some guy in America going, "yeah my neighbour has three of those in driving and sailing condition"
@robertyboberty74952 жыл бұрын
It says allot about the British army that attempted to make a flood barrier out of something designed to float. Great video thanks.
@jeffburnham66112 жыл бұрын
Well they don't exactly "float" in the traditional sense. Don't forget they weigh about 15 tons.
@Exciting__Electronics2 жыл бұрын
Crazy to think what's under the ground we walk on.
@Limabelasun2 жыл бұрын
There is a lot of stuff buried or dumped at sea. Under Thamesmead Golf Course is USAAC/ RAF/ Merlin Engines for P51s, in crates. Under Crayford Rough in Kent is more stuff buried under the flood plain.
@sinistercharger2 жыл бұрын
A total myth that has been circulating for Decades. Why would they bury brand new crated engines to rot in the ground? The same myth was they buried crated jeeps and Harleys. .it's total B.S
@dawor17612 жыл бұрын
Great job!! Thanks for preserving these historical vehicles.
@Hebr1dean2 жыл бұрын
I was working on the construction of the Sea Life centre in Weymouth, Dorset in 1982. One day I was excavating a pit, and an old man who was watching me work, called out to me when I climbed down from my Digger. He asked me if I’d found anything interesting, I hadn’t, but he told me that when he was a lad, he remembered at the end of the war, any equipment that was left, was bulldozed into a massive pit. Motorcycles, trucks, trailers, any unused equipment he said, was buried in a hole somewhere near where I was digging. I never found anything, but he remembered it clearly. Weymouth was one of the many SouthCoast harbours where US and British troops practised, and left from, to take part in the D-day landings.
@ricksturdevant2901 Жыл бұрын
10:34 pm Wednesday 4/26/23 San Diego, CA. I really enjoy HH and the topics you present and details you provide 👍👌👏
@arcamean7852 жыл бұрын
The real crowning achievement would be the restoration of at least one to working order because nothing beats living history.
@williamcarter97492 жыл бұрын
That is awesome!! It needs to be fully restored and cleaned up.
@greggrusnak60942 ай бұрын
My Father a US Marine was a Crewman on LVT 2 Amanda 99, He went on and became The C O of an LVT Company then Inspector Instructor of the Marine Corps. Then Retired and Worked for General Dynamics. 35 years as a Marine. Yes Sir, No Sir, 3 bags full Sir. When I was a Kid.
@lioneldickerson15502 жыл бұрын
Save all of the Buffalo's, they are WW2 history.
@nickbedingfield16992 ай бұрын
Just across the Maas (meuse) river from us is also a buffalo. It was used on the river to train for the Rhine crossing but it sank. Rescued years later by a local diving club and set up as a monument
@billlombard99112 жыл бұрын
Wow just wow , Amazing makes me want to go to Lincolnshire
@carlsherwin55572 жыл бұрын
Bring your wellies if you do mate😆
@billlombard99112 жыл бұрын
@@carlsherwin5557 of course
@markhirstwood41902 жыл бұрын
@@carlsherwin5557 :-)
@bertbert75922 жыл бұрын
my grandad served on the buffalos in ww2 i have pictures of him and the men in live action with these
@robleary33532 жыл бұрын
Nice one! To find a bit of historical kit like this and potentialy others to restore! Nice one! More please.
@daveeagle40732 жыл бұрын
Wow! It's a pity no one wants to help me recover 840 Rolls Royce Merlin Engines and a Spitfire seaplane.
@drones78382 жыл бұрын
I remember when Dan started doing videos with his dad now he looks like his dad
@Danger_mouse Жыл бұрын
7:31 The angles on that driveshafts 😳 You'd need to replace the uni joints every second day! A great piece of history 👍
@FrankHorigan2 жыл бұрын
Dang that’s awesome that they found that lvta4 i can’t wait to see it restored.
@litamtondy2 жыл бұрын
The pond with the military vehicpes at the bottom is definitely fascinating.
@pdtech45242 жыл бұрын
Brilliant, thankfully some people see these as pieces of important history to be preserved for future generations to see, rather than left buried and lost forever! 😎👍
@brucekaraus73302 жыл бұрын
I think you've missed the point of history.
@pdtech45242 жыл бұрын
@@brucekaraus7330 Explain? I think you've missed the point of why it is important to preserve as much of our history as possible like this military vehicle. Instead of future generations only being able to see one in a photo online, they can visit one, actually see the scale of it, touch it, sit in it and hopefully maybe someday see this one actually drive....👍😎
@HollywoodMarine03512 жыл бұрын
@@brucekaraus7330I think you’ve missed the point on how to use your brain. Go away Xerox troll.
@cogboy30211 ай бұрын
About 10 yearx ago I was talking to a local who was a maintenance man on the Burtonwood US airbase in Warrington, Cheshire. When the base was closing in the early '90s, he and others spend weeks driving Jeeps to the Liverpool docks to be shipped out to Israel, I believe it was. A coach followed them, they dropped the Jeeps off and the caoch took them base to the base for another load. He said they moved hundreds of them.
@MrJokerh612 жыл бұрын
Amazing story hope to see more updates
@candisully82092 жыл бұрын
Beautifully preserved examle..GREAT JOB
@supplement4202 жыл бұрын
Look how deep that got buried under the mud, now imagine how many civilizations in all those years got buried under the mud we walk over every day.
@brianhepke71822 ай бұрын
Incredible... hope they manage to retrieve the others.
@davidburgoyne74892 ай бұрын
I wonder why they didn't go after them first??
@howardswanson23432 жыл бұрын
You beat the Army indeed and got to hear all the stories. Floating vehicles to stop the flood? Classic history.
@jeffland1972 жыл бұрын
Thank You
@erwinhoes50902 жыл бұрын
As if God would to preserve these not in war times but in peace time under other stress circumstances. I am realy amazed how this one came out that pit so well preserved. Well done gentlemen well done!!! I hope you will go for the other 5. And making a mini serie of this perhaps for broadcasting!! go go go
@whiskeybuilder63352 жыл бұрын
Those are tough vehicles. I'm certain I could get her running. So good to see them unearthed.
@BistroGlicerin32 жыл бұрын
Nice work, great piece of history, art
@raymondmanderville5052 жыл бұрын
When I was a child I would ice skate in Ivy Hill Park . It was a wet land that would flood when they closed the drains in the winter . The park butted up to Seton Hall Universitys back parking lot , which was elevated about 5ft higher than the park . And old guy told me that when they built the parking lot that they used war surplus vehicles as landfill . I always wondered if it were true .
@zsolthajdu5007Ай бұрын
It looks better than a 15 year old Honda :D
@Jeff-ub4lr2 ай бұрын
When French troops left Mers El Kebir in 1968, bunch of trucks, jeeps and other pieces of equipment were dropped in the Mediterranean Sea.
@Buck19542 жыл бұрын
England is a treasure trove of buried history.
@simonhjc2 жыл бұрын
Dan, 💯 brilliant! Simply brilliant. Love the history hits
@animaltown12342 жыл бұрын
Took me a minute to remember the commonwealth designation for LVTs was Buffalo, all of the entertainment media we see of these things took place in the pacific theater (which makes sense it was to the pacific theater what the Huey was to the Vietnam conflict, an icon) but they were used in some river crossing operations in Europe and the Common wealth got a small handful of them for those operations. They named them Buffalo
@timeverhartofficial2 жыл бұрын
i hope they restore this.
@paulbradford8240 Жыл бұрын
They all need to be recovered and then restored to working order. Well done.
@pyroarchy2 жыл бұрын
shame we don't still make too much stuff like this in the states anymore at that quality :(
@antman28262 жыл бұрын
Legends. So good to see this. I can’t wait to see the others be excavated and I wanna see them restored too. 👍