UNEARTHED: WW2 Buffalo Vehicle Buried For Almost 75 YEARS!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 พ.ย. 2024
- A man who found a 13-tonne Buffalo amphibious vehicle that had been buried deep underground for almost three quarters of a century has begun the task of cleaning it up.
The hunt for the long-lost landing craft has attracted attention from all over the world.
Hannah King has been uncovering the mystery of the Crowland Buffalo.
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So great how all the local armed forces and civilians got together to make this happen. Well done Crowland!
Hopefully the military doesn’t come back and say “well, it IS government property…”
Nah thats germany
@@TokioHotelFan943years late but. Time and Time again the military has stated whatever you find from wars past, it is yours if you can get it. The military has no use for messed up old equipment
Yep. Get the others out. Even if they are knackered there may well be spare parts you can use.
yep,probably 20-30k per unit to remove them.better be a rich farmer
@@trillrifaxegrindor4411 farmer can do it with his own equipment... just very time consuming
@@trillrifaxegrindor4411could be useful to save in expenses for manufacturing replacement parts, who knows.
@@jblob5764 As far as I know, only the largest or most specialised farms would have large digging equipment, no? Unless they do due to the flooding or something.
@@tootlingturtle7254 usually backhoes or older models of excavators like the John Deere 190e or at least in the US no clue for other countries
"I've got one out, might as well go have a look for another"
absolute madlad.
Why not? There is three others somewhere down there…
They were extensively used by the 51st Highland Division in the Liberation of the Netherlands and invasion of Germany in WW2. They were highly regarded.
My dad was in 7th btn Black Watch he used to mention buffaloes.
thanks tank i can live in freedom now
Don't forget their use in the pacific. Carried marines in wave after wave and carried wounded marines out wave after wave. A true workhorse.
@@gunslingerluckytankijunky that was the primary use only a few hundred made it to Britain and limited use there, sad to see old US machinery driven out to be used as flood protection, when these units were used all over asia korean war, Vietnam way after these poor units were thrown away as fodder for levee repair..such a waste glad at least this one was saved
Does anyone else see the irony of the Highland division liberating the Netherlands?
Got to play in a running one in Australia in the early 1970’s - the farmer used it to get across the Murray River when it flooded..
That's crazy how I remember a story on that and I'm in the US.
Lucky soul ,you are
🤯
Good on you mate.
My dad went over on DDay, he was driving a water truck and taken over on a landing barge. Hero’s all.
Thank you.
That is unbelievably well preserved. Its like how aircraft and tanks are recovered from the steppes in Russia and they've been preserved by the lack of oxygen.
its got all kinds of rust holes in it, its in half decent shape for a watery area but shes rusted like mad and to make her like she once was will take alot of work, not impossible though and im sure in about 5-10 years she will be fully restored and operating
Love from America !! 🇬🇧🇺🇸
Somebody really needs to introduce them to the marvel that is a pressure washer.
Looking at the state of the rust metal ratio.
I fear a pressure washer would just rip more holes in the thin steel.
This needs more gentle treatment just a hose and wire brush with plenty of elbow grease.
Why what does this amazing device you speak of do?. I’m intrigued.
@@cideryeti7957 but you find where you need to replace metal pretty fast.
@@ljts7587 Its basically a watergun on steroids, pressure is applied using an engine with a water hose connected. Once saw a guy blow a quarter sized hole in his leg using one. Tons of pressure behind the water hence the name, pressure washer
@@cideryeti7957 Given they are attacking the mud and corrosion with hammer and chisels, I don't think using a pressure cleaner would cause worse damage. If the metal can be penetrated by the pressure cleaner, then it would need replacing in any event.
The greatest use of a war machine ever. That 75 years has passed and the old girl still brings the boys around with a gleam in their eyes. Bravo mates. well done.
Dig out the rest of them. Find all the ones that you can.
one could go the yorkshire air museum
It a tank not a plane
@@imprezacabbit2309 there’s an air museum near my house that has old tanks on display
@@imprezacabbit2309 they have ww2 tanks there as well as planes
@@corey_the_bird3086 lol I was just joking Ik air museums have tanks in them though I probably should have worded it better lol 😁
two for the price of one! British optimism at it's finest.
When there's a bargain we'll have it!
Well done all of you, all War vehicles have earned the right (If possible) to rest above ground level.
Well said.....
it's been preserved in clay so the mechanical parts will be serviceable and the radial engine that powers it is still very common in the usa. gone that far get it running and use it.
The vehicle itself is actually still fairly common as far as WW2 armor goes. You can still find examples of them in scrap yards in the US.
@@SCscoutguy it's very rare here in the uk and if put back in working condition would be the only one so be worth the effort and cost to do it i think.
@@samuelgoddard5248 Spot on, in fact, Buffalos are so rare here in the UK that this one has doubled the population! Prior to this, the only preserved Buffalo anywhere else in the UK was the one in The Tank Museum in Bovington.
@@RWJP there would have been 3 but a friend on mine sold his back to the US, it was a swimmer to!
If you ship it here to the us it will be a literal breeze to get it running
I feel like y’all deserve to have it repaired fast yall have waited 75 years to see it
Saving history is one of the few things most people forget, and once you forget your history...
What a wonderful story! Terrific, I wish them all the very best in their work to conserve the Buffalo!
The Canadians excelled using these, liberating some parts of Holland that proved too difficult for other supporting forces. The Dutch still remember.
And under almost unimaginably bad conditions. Rain, mud, strong tides, lack of cover. Defences stronger than Normandy in places.
The Canadians, the Commandos and the Landing craft support squadron.
First rate, glad it's staying put, where it should be.
We had a family member that served in Holland during WW2 dealing with Hitler Youth that were in barns surrounded by flood water. Asked to surrender and the answer was No,!!!., they got the business!!! Could have been on such a craft as this, Nice find boys!! 👍👍👍👍👍
It's a pity they aren't a bigger group to raise more funds because Bovington might be able to help them with the drivetrain.
I'm so happy there are still people in this world that are willing to work together accomplish something positive like this. 👍🏼
These LVT's were mostly used by the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army in the Pacific Island campaigns of World War 2.
Not to mention the Crossing of the Rhine during the closing weeks of the War in Europe.
What a wonderful find. To cosmetically restore it is one thing, but to get it running would be the ultimate. I hope you do go after others. All the best from Brisbane Australia
Best news that it is staying put : i think it would be pampered back into perfect working order right where it is.
A wonderful story...over time unthinkable.
The farmer sounds just like Josh Widdecombe, top job bringing it back. Surprised it's still in one piece, good job for MasterMilo
What a brilliant effort well done to all involved
I believe the expression is, "Good on you, mate!" Excellent job excavating and now saving this Buffalo! I sincerely hope you're able to retrieve the others, and with a bit of luck, cobble them back together. How awe inspiring it would be to see you post a video of the first engine start-up after you've refurbished them (or even 1 -2 of them)! And then, even better, see you drive one through the village! Wow! Very, very best of luck to you from Texas!
Clay made a real difference - ive been in a 12ft deep trench of blue clay with no worries in my early sewer days - in sands youd need numerous well points and lots of shoring walls built - Im really glad for Mr. Abbot and his friends!
My grandfather was a crew member on AMTRAC in WWII. So nice to see the effort made to recover this one.
As i like to say: With enough time and money, everything can be repaired.
Obviously a pack of bright men working on the extraction. Well done!
There just aren’t enough people like this guy. He makes the world a better place!
Wow, a rare beast indeed.
No one noted what did the pull, looking like its a old ex forces foden recovery unit., seems lots foden,s still on hand of the off road, heavy pulls.
Airfix made a model kit of the Buffalo and I remember building one
Still got mine, led the guns off as I thought it looked better, if I remember correctly I put them on something else.☺.
You can still get that kit, we have them in at work. It comes with a Jeep.
@@crazybrit-nasafan I had forgotten about the jeep being included, it was a long time ago when I made the kit
@@crazybrit-nasafan it was one of the very few sources for a Jeep for wargaming or dioramas, likewise the Bristol Bloodhound kit had the only Land Rover in that scale for many years, ( a Series one short wheelbase soft top), considering the numbers sold over time the Land Rover has been very poorly kitted.
@@CrusaderSports250 Very true. Oxford do a nice range of Jeeps and Landrovers in 1/76 and 1/43 including the Lightweight Landy if you like diecasts. J did some LWB sersis 2 hard and soft top and FC101 Versions in 1/72 but they are scarce, they were issued as Airfix kits for a short time. Hobbyboss has done some more modern Landrovers too in 1/43 including the WMIKand US Ranger versions.
Good on him and everyone who helped! if they've not got one at Bovington, I hope the second one ends up there
They have indeed got one at Bovington.
Well done lads 🇬🇧
There is probably another one down there lads. edit: I see in the end he touches on that :-)
There was a legend of one in my old hometown in Florida. FMC built them there and one got stuck while it was being test-driven, so it was abandoned. In the 70's a couple of kids I knew from school tried to get a look at it, but the area was just too swampy.
Well done on getting this LVT rescued and please go back and get the others out and saved for the future.
Would be good if someone could do this for the four tanks I know of stuck in bogs in the New Forest ??
Thank you for the video thumbs up and shared.
Not heard about that, any more info? And if you have the dream, why not try make it a reality? Just like this chap did. 👍
@@crazybrit-nasafan Yes well maybe one day something can be done ?? Thank you.
@@RJM1011
Many moons ago, as a nieve youth still at school and hating every second of it I had a dream of working on aircraft, and one day maybe owning one. Not to fly but to restore. So far I have owned an Auster mk VI that I was restoring (before I was offered a nice amount for) it is now with new owners who are restoring it to fly.
I had a half share in a Jet Provost T4 at one time and now I have two 1946 American civil aircraft projects I am restoring.
In your position I would first try find out if and where those tanks are, get a team together of like minded individuals (Facebook is your friend here) get whatever permissions you need for investigation/excavation.
Try fundme, enquiries with local businesses who have excavation equipment for loan (free advertising for them) See where this takes you. Could be the start of an amazing adventure, and if not at least it was tried.
Wouldn't it be good if you were that someone who did the same for those four tanks?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.
@@crazybrit-nasafan There is a Sherman tank at Minstead two Churchill were lost at the back end of Ringwood and another tank was buried at the U boat base bombing range know as Ashley Walk don't know which type of tank this is ?? What I would like to do one day is talk to the Tank Museum about these as it is not too far away. Thank you
@@RJM1011 Please pursue your adventure, there must be plenty of people interested in helping to restore these old war machines. If you could get just one rebuilt out of three or four recoveries that would be some achievement!
The only difference between Men and Boys is the Price of there Toy's.
Their toys are indeed more expensive.
...and the quality of the education they received: The price of THEIR toys, for instance.
This is history not a toy.
@@shannon7002 It's both for sure. The historic value is beyond questioning. Still it has no use, other than information fascination and amusement. Cost a ton of money to buy, and even more to get running. Fits the category "toy for grown ups" pretty well. Could also be called a conversation piece.
Hot water pressure washer would make it look really nice.
it would chip all the paint right off it. and all the rusty metal will fall right off. i bet they just don’t want to damage it
@@ydkmaiydtfo3177 they’re using hammers and crow bars though…
No worries a can of WD-40 will make it all like new
@@toastyovens8777 Well, maybe 2 cans 😂
@@ydkmaiydtfo3177 If its going to be restored they're going to strip and repaint it anyways.
This always amazes me how they find these ww2 vehicles. I love to see them restored. Just learning the history is awesome. To think of the men operating them and what they went through .
It says something about the quantity produced during WW2 that 75 years later "Oh look! Another one!".
@@WildBikerBill 20 years ago where I lived,there was an old flat fender or duece in the tree's or along a barn. Then scrap metal went up and all gone.
Don't!!! Forget the others down in the earth waiting to be pulled out of there slumber!!! SAVE THEM!!!!!
If they're further down they might be in even better condition, packed in more clay with less oxygen being in contact with it
Definitely! I’d find it so interesting to see the other ones that are buried even deeper
If there's one, surely there's others, how many were recovered initially?
None, most are still in the bank, this one slide down at the time and was buried away from the breach
There’s a lot of them, 16 or more buried 30ft down, but recovery, although not impossible, is a very difficult operation.
Greetings from the high plains of Texas. Keep up the spirit of adventure even in ones own backyard.
Funny thing is there's less rust on that than a 5 Yr old transit 😂😂
Engine is no problem plenty spares for them still knocking about give me the model and make I will have a look or contact the tank museum .
I have a factory new engine. Continental W670-9A
One of the most cool and futuristic designs of WW2 👍
I really like this guy's enthusiasm and towards the treasures of war history. I hope he finds all of them and more. I like seeing things like this. Wish I could witness something epically historic like that where I'm from.
Great to see these old machines saved and back to life. What a great story with great history.
You guys never heard of a high pressure washer to get the mud off... I hardly think a bit of water right now is going to hurt it.
probably needs demineralised water to aviod more corrosion and that may not be avaliable
@@mrpusser0348 I wouldn't use high pressure. I think the mud and dirt has preserved it over the decades
I imagine being buried that deeply, for that long, has made the clay quite fierce to remove. I also imagine, despite being burned that deep, oxidation has made some of the steel a bit thin, so salvaging as much of the original shell would require hand excavation.
@@richgallegos5807 oxidization requires oxygen.... burried that deep in mud and clay I don't think there was too much oxygen
Absolutely unbelievable! What a find! Well done boys and girls! It amazes me what is still left from The War.
Please. Dig the others out. Preserve as much history as possible
Are there plans to recover the remaining Buffalos.
It's always great to see pieces of history recovered.
If I had known and didn't have an ocean between us I'd donate the hot water pressure washer I pulled out of a dumpster and fixed. Grease? What grease? Mud? What mud?
Dad recalls that after WW2, near us in North Birmingham, a massive pit was dug and tons of American equipment was driven in and buried. Dad recalls that part of the Pheasey Estate was then built over the top of this pit, so excavation would be impossible. How true his recollection is - well, it was a very long time ago, but he can always tell the story like it was yesterday. However, I reckon a lot of detail has actually been lost to time.
There’s also meant to be a load of spitfires buried over West Brom way I think.
I’m from Nebraska USA, I’ve heard stories of building ammunition depots and storage and tools/machines were allocated to building each building then they were all buried next to them.
Having worked on construction/heavy equipment when I was younger I can tell you there's a very good reason they clean off all the mud on their equipment while it's still wet/mud.
The reason being once the mud dries and turns into dirt it sticks to everything and becomes EXTREMELY difficult to remove.
Just the tanks tracks will take ages to clean.
Upton Engineering in Corowa NSW, Australia had a number of Buffaloes in their yard. Maybe a source of parts.
Nice tip.
By chance do you know if they still have them
I will try and check.
I spoke to someone today, they believe that when Arthur Upton died they scrapped a ton of stuff because the inventory was in Arthur’s head. That being said I’m following up with Corowa Tractor Club to confirm if anyone knows exactly what happened to the Alligators and Buffaloes.
Someone get these guys a pressure washer
That won't be good tbh, some parts are rusted and they don't want to risk damaging it even more.
Good idea, that'll put some speed holes in it. Speed holes make Buffalos go faster.
I think a pressure washer is the answer. to get it done so restoration can begin. At the rate that boy and old man we’re going the rust will overtake the whole tank!
@@devme20 Get me there with a blast pot and spray gun. Il have it blasted and coated within a fortnight ready for restoration lol.
the pressure can be adjusted with larger orifice on the hand guns. can easily pressure down to more managable level that wont hurt the metal.
Awesome project to work on ! What a great find. Awesome piece of history. What an honor to work on this. Have fun and good luck chaps ! A Dutchie.
It's NOT a tank!! It's an amphibious armoured vehicle.
At 13 tons it’s armour plating would not be very protective for anyone inside. I think it was not designed to be very aggressive, more as a troop carrier with minor defence armament.
if its not a tank it must be a bulldozer a .
Does anyone know if there's a part 2 to this? Very curious to see the progress. Great job preserving history.
Great achievement. Why does your headline describe it as a tank when it's a tracked landing vehicle?
Because tank is more dramatic all reporters love false drama
Yes and why does Bovington TANK museum have one on display when it's not a tank? 😉
I hope they can get it up and running instead of only standing
Call Up Jay Leno, he can restore anything! He will want to drive it though, so just a caution about that part.
Well done to all of you concerned.
I watched the video and thought the whole exercise was completed exceptionally well.
to say the least!!
History recovered from history, fantastic job .
Thank you for doing all the hard yards , first class.
I expected for them to change a battery, use a bit of starting sprey and drive it out of the pit!
That's an amazing piece of history I didn't know about. Thankyou. Dig on .
What a great community project. Good on them for keeping going and I hope they find another.
No oxygen that deep in clay so very little corrosion.
Cant understand why they're not using pressure washers rather than hammer and chisels
Perhaps they are but wanted to show multiple people working on it for the cameras.
Would high pressure water jets do more damage than good? I’d prefer gentle ways to remove debris until they can see what repairs need to be made.
Good luck guys , hope you pull another 1 or more out . Great effort and well done from Australia 🇦🇺👍
Fantastic. I absolutely love storys like this. Well done mate.
Yep. Dig em all out and get as many as possible operating. Then have a big yearly parade/party with the Buffalo as the stars.
Superb find! i discovered an old Scammell in a farm yard back in 1983, everyone had forgotten it was there. I had her restored and running again in 2 years! I hope they get her running to go to some shows, a very rare beast! 👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🇬🇧 WELL DONE👍🏻
but.... will it start?
So very well done Folks. Really great piece of history recovered and I hope you get it to run, great documentary, and teamwork. Must be fairly unique surely, thanks for this!
Amazing… but what about the other ones? The other ones might be close.
They FINALLY finished the Forth Bridge 3 years ago LOL
My Grandfather was in the 52 Lowland Division and was transported in a Buffalo during the liberation of Walcheren Island across the Scheldt Estuary. The action also involved a large number of Canadian troops. He said his Buffalo was bracketed by German artillery fire but not struck. When they drew closer to the enemy defenders the fact his craft had a small turret and canon fitted may have resulted in the Germans believing it was a DD tank and some fled. He had trained in Arctic or mountain warfare and it was ironic he eventually fought at sea level in a massive amphibious battle.
These were built in Riverside California . There is one on display at Lake Evans in Fairmont Park riverside California .
Hello, you people have done a fantastic job to find this Buffalo, really glad you dug it out and now cleaning it up, so nice a piece of history that could have helped us to win the war 👍👍. Totally delighted for you as a group. Best of luck Geoff Lewis, Wales, UK, 🏴
What a brilliant effort well done to all involved. It's always great to see pieces of history recovered..
Fascinating. Thank you.
20 years ago I saw one of these on Mornington Island, up in the gulf of Carpentaria ,Australia . Basically all there but was highly corroded and probably left there during or just after WW2.
These in assorted variants were used in almost every amphibious landing in the pacific. This appears to be a LVT-4 with the rear ramp (vs jumping over the side to exit). The Marines called them, then and now as Amtracks
I imagine something like this happening here in Germany: Even the government will send out the Bundeswehr to help...and to bring it straight to the military junkyard...
Fantastic. I hope the other 1 comes out. The buffulo twins has a ring to it
Mud and bog are great perservant, some of the most intact historical finds have been found in mud.
How did it get so deep, imagine what else is buried through out the world.
We have a fully intact LVT 'Water buffalo' on static display at our local Fairmount Park. It was put there as monument to commemorate the factory that produced it, FMC, or Food Machinery!
Pleased its staying within its community.
I’m wonder if there’s more buffalos buried the same spot if it not very deep for the other buffalos to recovered but we should wait and see in the next years.
There's three more buried there
Well I’m think every people in the town should join in to help and rescue the remaining 3 buffalos to be restoration for a working ride or a d-day memorial display in the town centre or in a park what do you think.
Awesome find those AM TRAC are a piece of historical event .
Brilliant,well done! If it's possible get it running. Spare parts are still available!
I hope he's checked into the legality of owning it. I'd hate to see him get it all fixed up and then the government comes in and says that they still own it and he has no claim to it.
I mean they got military bomb squad to survey the area and bring up any military based notes on them going missing that they could find and had a discussion about what he wanted them for long before it came out of the ground... Pretty sure they've covered that conversation pretty well... If you pay attention to their process and what they talk about in the video...
@@apple90559 I'm afraid that means nothing when it comes to government or military bureaucracy. Everything may seem all fine and dandy and then one day they can blindside you and say "It seems that according to Article blah-blah-blah we still have ownership of this vehicle" or "Civilians aren't allowed to own this type of military vehicle" or "This claim of ownership isn't recognized under statute blah-blah-blah".
Something like this has happened before and can happen again. I just hope that it turns out alright for this guy.
Probably going to let him restore it for free, then take it back.
@@thearmoredgeorgian2736 That's exactly what I'm expecting, and hoping *won't* happen. This restoration of the Buffalo immediately brings up thoughts of the Heikendorf Panther from a few years back. People of the town knew the guy had it and suddenly the government gets a hair up its butt and confiscates it with no justification.
@@blazerocker1734 exactly, not only that, they also broke it in the process of stealing it
Best of luck cleaning and restoring from retired vet in USA, NY, Ulster county
I remember being shown pictures of the tanks at school
I do wish people would stop calling anything on tracks a tank, it isn't, it wasn't, and it was never designed to be ( the Americans did have a turreted variant that they used in the Pacific campaign, but what you have here is not one of them), an APC would be a better term but even that is not technically correct.
@@CrusaderSports250 did not know they had a turreted version. 🇬🇧👍
Marvelous effort. Congratulations to everyone involved.
Brilliant, what an amazing find. I just hope that you can get a good engine and get it running again. Best of luck.
There's nothing sweeter than true Britt's doing excellent work.Yes it should stay in your country It is Your history. And a representation of England' Relentless fight in world war two
Good people creating a good story. The sense of community and reverence for history is good to see.
My Dad was a driver in the 4th RTR. They followed the Rhine Crossing with the Elbe carrying the American 82nd Airborne Division in April 1945, the last opposed river crossing of WWII.