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buried and abandoned tanks


eddy8men

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The one in eddys photo, which is in the lea of Long Fell to the west of the ravine which separates Long Fell from Middle Fell, was being pulled off when it grounded and was abandoned -it was possible to see the start point further up on the ridge where parts of its tracks remained. But it has neither rear or left side plate or top or motors.

 

The turreted M10 and its turretless friend were on the high ground south of Middle Fell they were cleared sometime after 1992. I put some pics of it on the Warcop thread (post#12)- can't repeat them as this pc doesn't allow me to upload pics. The turretless one still had the back plate but the engine deck, doors and motors weren't there.

 

Steve

Edited by steveo578
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I'm sure you're all familiar with the Churchill wreck in storrington, Not much in the way of spares, but interesting to see.

There is also a Churchill Tank turret in a local wood, not sure why it's there, but it is, no barrel, just the main cast/

 

I have heard many rumours of Churchills bricked up in a railway tunnel near Hassocks, I have no idea why they would be bricked into a tunnel, but it was meantioned by several people?

 

Field Place in Shoreham area is meant to have Harleys in Crates, again why they would be in crates and why they would be buried in the never discovered tunnels I do not know?

 

I would have thought after the War we would have put most things to use not bury them?

 

Paul

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I would have thought after the War we would have put most things to use not bury them?

 

Paul

 

 

You say this but if some of this kit was hidden away for use after the posable invasion of Britain then it was only known to a few people and they kept their secrets for many years after the war, i have been told of several of them stil haveing weapons and munitions stashed in their sheds or under their stairs. One of which still used explosives to remove tree tumps in his garden.

 

I dont believe that the locations of all the dumps/stashes of kit where well documented at goverment level more likely only the locals would of known.

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mash

I dont believe that the locations of all the dumps/stashes of kit where well documented at goverment level more likely only the locals would of known.

 

Yes but the arms dumps for insurgency groups wouldn't include Churchills -one of the reasons for dumping or burial like the Storrington Mk2 was lack of transport to move it to a scrapyard -think about moving a PIAT worm infested wreck - a large winch equiped tractor like a D8 and a M19 tank transporter as a minimum + trained personel -many of whom were being rapidly demobbed.

 

The surprising thing is that despite post war metal drives a lot of this stuff remained where it was dumped/buried or whatever.

 

paul connor

I'm sure you're all familiar with the Churchill wreck in storrington, Not much in the way of spares, but interesting to see.

 

When it was dis-interned there was alot more including the small Mk1-2 turret casting -is the turret in wood that you mention the original turret that some-one tried to have away or is it another turret? Apart from odd things found in bunkers at old pre WW1 fortifications has anyone ever found anything bricked up in a tunnel?

 

Steve

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has anyone ever found anything bricked up in a tunnel?

Yes, well, I didn't but I saw what had been found.

Drakelow Nuclear shelter in the West Midlands was sold off to an un-named chap / developer back in the mid 90s, for a couple of years a group of enthusiasts were allowed to search through the complex and conduct tours in organised groups, my local vintage car club had some contacts and we went on a guided tour. In the 60s the wartime tunnel complex built into a hillside had been a factory for finishing Bristol Radial engines was bricked up externally and internally to create a small nuclear shelter for local government out of the old office and sleeping area, with the factory part of it abandoned. The local enthusiasts had put a door through into the original factory from the bunker and we were taken on a short tour. The clocks were still uo on the walls, racking up in the store rooms and to the point, little electric trollies with trailers still in the main linking tunnel. The entire place was very decayed, in some places the white mould was 6 inches thick...uugh.

Edited by ajmac
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Or coming at it from the other way, a couple of us bricked up a mate's doorway in our college accomodation block late one Saturday night with some very realistic brick wallpaper and flour paste :angel:

 

We heard his door open and close shortly afterwards at around 10.30am on Sunday, it didn't open again until 6pm when he 'broke through' to a large awaiting crowd........:shocking:

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Last year I found a infilled crater in North Devon on the coast, in the crater was loads of riveted armour / wheels etc all well rotted in. As I was walking with friends I didn't have a chance to have a good poke around / take many shots but the attached photo of one of the wheels shows that it is / was a Crusader tank (the wheels are pretty unique) - I imagine this is a pretty rare find ?- not sure why it was there - old WW2 range ? there were some bunkers dotted around. I'd love to go back and have a dig around but I think its on national Trust land and they are not that keen on people excavating stuff on their land.......hope this link to the photo works...

 

http://s704.photobucket.com/albums/ww41/matchlessg80cs/?action=view&current=oldwheel.jpg

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Last year I found a infilled crater in North Devon on the coast, in the crater was loads of riveted armour / wheels etc all well rotted in. As I was walking with friends I didn't have a chance to have a good poke around / take many shots but the attached photo of one of the wheels shows that it is / was a Crusader tank (the wheels are pretty unique) - I imagine this is a pretty rare find ?- not sure why it was there - old WW2 range ? there were some bunkers dotted around. I'd love to go back and have a dig around but I think its on national Trust land and they are not that keen on people excavating stuff on their land.......hope this link to the photo works...

 

http://s704.photobucket.com/albums/ww41/matchlessg80cs/?action=view&current=oldwheel.jpg

 

Where abouts exactly so that Rick can at least find it and dig it up in the dead of night

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the attached photo of one of the wheels shows that it is / was a Crusader tank (the wheels are pretty unique)

 

 

I think it more likely it was a Covenanter, The wheels are the same as Crusader but the hubs are plain with no holes. Covenanters are or at least were much more common on ranges than Crusaders.

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Could be a Covenanter (A13 Mk3). Wheels on the early cruisers were not unique to a single type although the Covenanter should have had unique alluminum wheels but that never happened as it would have interfered with aircraft production. Covenanter Mk1 and Crusader Mk1 inherited the covered road wheels fitted to A13 Mk1 & 2 the A24 Cavalier also used later model Crusader wheels and axles, as probably did early Cromwell pilots.

 

As for location perhaps the old Assault Training Centre at Woolacombe bay near Instow springs to mind- further east near Minehead-Somerset (about a mile west of the Butlins holiday camp) there is supposed to be at least one Festung style pillbox with a Covenanter turret on it along with a pillbox that was relieved of its turret- possibly that which ended up on a Valentine 3 hull some years ago -the Valentine now has a Mk2 turret and is at Samaur.

 

Steve

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Could be a Covenanter (A13 Mk3). Wheels on the early cruisers were not unique to a single type although the Covenanter should have had unique alluminum wheels but that never happened as it would have interfered with aircraft production. Covenanter Mk1 and Crusader Mk1 inherited the covered road wheels fitted to A13 Mk1 & 2 the A24 Cavalier also used later model Crusader wheels and axles, as probably did early Cromwell pilots.

 

Steve

 

The 'covered' wheels are aluminium and are a one piece wheel and hub. I have the remains of one here! Cavalier used Cromwell wheels, i.e. 5" wide whereas Covenanter and Crusader used 4" wide. Cavalier did use Crusader suspension parts and axles though.

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Adrian

Thanks for the correction, I was under the mis-impression they (Cavaliers and Crusaders) were interchangeable you live and learn, the fact that the covered one were actually the alluminium ones is a true revalation:red:

 

Steve

Edited by steveo578
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matchless i think you just found a covenanter wreck, i reckon a fair bit more of the tank is still under the ground, i'd like to go and have a poke around with a spade can you be any more specific on the location as a drive from manchester to devon is a long way to go if i can't find anything.

 

cheers

 

eddy

 

ps. anyone know if there are any other covenanters about on pirbright or elsewhere.

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Considering the suspension arm and part of the spring case are visible on the surface tends to toward a completely wasted target tank as the twin wall hull would have broken up on one side at least- if Woolacombe their targeting was almost industrial with targets reworked-resurfaced during training for example the book Spearheading D.Day shows wall targets used for Bazookas being divided into 3 -cut down -refaced/hardened and in use, so possibly a one sided tank would be turned to get the most out of it.

 

Probably wouldn't hurt to have a look around but a long way from anywhere

 

The wheel looks beyond saving.

 

Steve

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steve

all i need to obtain a covenanter, is a wheel and a few springs, this will then put me in the right frame of mind for asking round to get the rest of it and you know how it is once you start asking round the parts will come to you, although i will admit the hull is a fairly substantial part to be found but they're out there, all you have to do is find them :D

 

eddy

Edited by eddy8men
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steve

all i need to obtain a covenanter, is a wheel and a few springs, this will then put me in the right frame of mind for asking round to get the rest of it and you know how it is once you start asking round the parts will come to you, although i will admit the hull is a fairly substantial part to found but they're out there, all you have to do is find them :D

 

eddy

 

Here you go Rick, two of them here, get your bucket & spade!

Tank remains, Titchwell (5)

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Hi Eddy,

 

I was speaking to a mate last night whos into aviation archeology, so digging up tanks isnt really his thing. However, there is apparently an ex range tank buired near where he stays.

 

I dont have much information. He lives at Carnwath, Lanarkshire. There was a firing range near there. Type of tank unknown, but it was apparently partially dug up at one point so that Cuthbertsons of Biggar could study/ remove parts of the suspension. Then it was re buried.

 

Does this ring any bells with anyone?

 

Dave.

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my master plan for finding and aquiring armour through this thread is finally coming to fruition:cool2:

 

hey panzer i think that i'll pass on the covenanter hulls, even my wildly optimistic view of

wrecks can't overcome 70 years of sea water

 

dave it's funny that you say your mate is into aviation and not tanks as i'm into tanks and not aviation but i'm doing a usaaf airfield dig hopefully later this year, apparently there's 2 trenches full of yank vehicles. if he digs the tank up maybe we can do a swap :D

seriously though if you can get anymore info from your friend then please let me know as i'll be up in scotland for a couple of weeks later in the year and i will check out any leads you can give me.cheers

 

all the best

 

eddy

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