Exploring A Forgotten WW2 Tank Graveyard! | Normandy | WW2

In this video I show you a forgotten tank graveyard in Normandy, near the port city of Cherbourg. WW2 tanks from the US Army are left where they stood in the sand dunes, rusting away.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Normandy are a group of abandoned WW2 US armoured vehicles, including Sherman tanks. How did they get there and why haven't they been recovered?
Forgotten Normandy Tank Graveyard! | Cherbourg | WW2
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#tactical #guns #military #history #army #soldier #ww2 #germany #usa #history #hellletloose #veteran
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[@moniquedeitz4356]

Thank you for this informative video. In case your viewers don't know, your thumbnail/cover photo shows the likeness of American tanker Sgt. John Parks, 4th Armored Division. He was killed on the day that photo was taken in 1944. The 4th Division landed on Utah Beach in July. The photo is so touching that I placed it in my file for World War II photography, feeling a need to keep it as a memorial to him. There probably isn't a World War II documentary that's ever been on U.S. television that I haven't seen, starting when I was around ten years old in 1952. Also, I collected WWII articles from LIFE, LOOK and THE SATURDAY EVENING POST magazines. It truly was an era of heroes.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s an amazing picture. Thank for you the background information on it, I wasn’t aware of that either

[@moniquedeitz4356]

@@thehistoryexplorer It's an honor to give this hero's face a name.

[@bryanterry415]

And he is still listed as MIA.

[@moniquedeitz4356]

@@bryanterry415 Apparently that was how those soldiers who died in all-consuming tank fires were listed until our era of DNA extraction and confirming modern video. General Sherman's phrase, "War is Hell" is most assuredly correct.

[@bryanterry415]

⁠I used to receive an email periodically from Bill Warnock, author of the excellent book “The Dead of Winter”, and in one of them, it described exactly what happened to Sgt Parks.

[@JEck789]

Its just so depressing seeing these tanks abandoned from 1944. Like even when they are just metal, iron, copper it rings and brings alot of memories. Good job man you are protecting history

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Glad you enjoyed the video buddy

[@billballbuster7186]

The "G" Shield on the front of the Sherman M4A1 76w is a manufacturers mark from the company that produced the hull casting, in this instance the Pressed Steel Car Company

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Outstanding! Thank you for the additional info. Everyday is a school day 👍

[@ninersix2790]

Nope! Sorry that is wrong... due to the demand for tanks after the fall of France, some Sherman tanks were built in Canada. The result was the Grizzly or "G" tank, an M4A1 Sherman tank with a few minor modifications. Only 188 Grizzly tanks were built, which were used as training vehicles. The Grizzly found greater success in two variants. Canadian tanks (M4A1 Shermans w/wider treads 76 mm gun T23 turret vvss suspension) all had that "G" mark on them.

[@rdytogo9803]

The Sherman had four different motors. The GM 6046 ‘twin’ diesel, the A57 multibank, R975 radial, and the Ford GAA V8. And first one has R975 radial engine. it's unique. I'm from far east S.korea , But i love to study of WW1 and WW2 history. and i enjoy your channel, just found and subscribed. thank you

[@thehistoryexplorer]

So glad you enjoy the channel and thank you iso much for the additional information, I really do just want to learn more!

[@Peace2U-ec6es]

What is truly amazing is how much cleaning up was needed to restore the beaches and landscapes in places like Normandy, Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, Peleliu, Tarawa, etc. What still lies beneath the waves just offshore, under the sand, and under the beach grass is both amazing and in many cases, deadly.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I hope to visit the Pacific- I’ve got big plans! Thanks for the comment

[@rudyclaes9544]

Most probably these tanks weren't abandoned by the US. One can assume that these were placed there by the French Army after their end of service and put their simply for training purposes.

[@ronanguillamet5017]

Oui....c’est l’armée française qui les a utilisés comme cibles pour les entraînements après la guerre...😊

[@Juan_Doooh]

The second tank looks like a great restoration candidate.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

If you can move it in an area of outstanding natural beauty

[@1greener]

Shame about the graffiti on them

[@thehistoryexplorer]

yes it is a real shame. Seen quite alot of that about recently actually

[@northerngannetproject3147]

It's not ww2 relic... it's wreck from 60's.

[@MartinSparks-ef9gr]

I thought the second m4a1 with graffiti would make a great model project . Hmm

[@frederiklaureys1516]

Yes indeed , I LOATHE IT..THE DIRTY BULLSHITS GRAFFITI….NO RESPECT!!!!!!!

[@martinpower2439]

Not graffiti. Urban camouflage

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Wow - that place is crazy

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s a lovely spot to visit, the bunkers are outstanding too but I’m trying to keep the videos a bit shorter

[@leo-tj3jw]

Outstanding job!

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Appreciate you buddy!

[@napierlines6977]

Brilliant video Rob. Love following your trips. Keep up the good mork mate

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you mate. Really appreciate it 👍

[@maciej1773]

Good work! 🇵🇱

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you my friend, much appreciated

[@MilHistRL]

Top work mate... loving it!

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thanks a ton! Appreciate it mate.

[@robmisener2786]

Great video Rob!

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you very much, really appreciate it

[@JT-io9ii]

Absolutely love this channel and this video! Reminds me of the rusted hulks of a few Panzer IVs in the Golan Heights from the 1967 war.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you so much my friend

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I’d love to film there!

[@cw2gtc]

The tanks you see sitting low in some of the depressions, with what would be their main gun sort of pointing out, or over the top of the depression, are in what is known as either full defalade or partial defalade. (deff-uh-lade) It gives an advantage of surprise when it’s time to fire. Or, when it’s time to move on the enemy.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Absolutely! 👍

[@willierobertson862]

Great video Rob, nice to see Mrs History Explorer getting stuck in clambering over the tanks 😂

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thanks Willie. The Long Haired Colonel mate 😎

[@MilHistRL]

Glad she is interested... any time Im near a tank, APC, plane, artillery my wife yawns and goes looking for clothes shops... LOL

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@MilHistRLlife is about balance mate. If she comes and trudges around trenches and bunkers then I have to take her for a nice meal afterwards 😂

[@MilHistRL]

@@thehistoryexplorer thats a win win in my book. :)

[@scootypooper]

The “Shop Number” is stamped on the front of the hull, just below the General Steel (G in a shield) caster's logo.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

with an avater like that of course you'd know! thank you so much for sharing. Appreciate it

[@scootypooper]

@@thehistoryexplorer lol

[@BalataNuri]

Very good video

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you so much. Really appreciate it

[@TheBioniXman]

I would suspect that many of these tanks were working tanks after the war and ended up being disposed of by the French army some years later. When they had served their time then they would have been moved there and used as targets.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Very possibly, tow of them were made late in the war and very likely made it to Normandy at the end of the war

[@joemabry9643]

Thank you.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

You're welcome! I hope you enjoyed it?

[@seanwhitty1335]

That's really cool pretty sure they are still there as the areas now a nature reserve or something like that and they can't take recovery gear in there to remove them the second one was particularly interesting as it looked like it has a bulldozer type arrangement bolted to the front wonder if that one was involved in breaking though the bocarge country very sad they can't be salvaged great vid thanks

[@thehistoryexplorer]

That’s a very interesting thought. Thanks for sharing, I think you’re right about the recovery efforts being a few factor in leaving these in place

[@PatriciaGonzalez-wu9kl]

Gracias hermoso su trabajo,

[@thehistoryexplorer]

You are most welcome

[@kingsroad2310]

Thank you for a look at this site. I know you said you wouldnt share the location but is it easy to find? I think its out of the way from where I will visit

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s near Cherbourg. You can find its location online but I won’t share the specific location buddy

[@Channel-cx7xv]

Hello from Thailand, I really like your video.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thanks and welcome!

[@thedeathwobblechannel6539]

The first 2 tanks are M4A1 late model 76 mm gun T23 turret vvss suspension.

[@thedeathwobblechannel6539]

3rd tank, same as first two

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thanks for the info, really appreciate it 👍

[@jelboy1]

The Bivial dunes Normandy 👌🏻

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Correct

[@tromxuasnoc5511]

The correct spelling is Biville actually.

[@kevingarrett2559]

On the second tank the breech of the gun is present but the breech block has been removed.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thanks for that, much appreciated. I’m certainly no expert

[@janetslicer3637]

Loved this video, very well done! Is bespoke camouflage the same as graffiti Rob? Just clarifying. I hope the people that climb on those rusty tanks are up to date on their tetanus shot! Thanks again! 🇬🇧🇺🇲🇨🇵

[@annagracheva8714]

I wonder why they were left there, is it for the reminder of war days or by accident? I mean obviously there must have been much more of them but all the rest have been removed and these ones left… we have some small fortifications left in the ground nearby in a park where I live (St Petersburg, former Leningrad, Russia) which were built for defending Leningrad in WWll and also in the forests at the outskirts of the city which were used in Soviet-Finland war in 1939 but I’ve never seen an actual tank from that era left somewhere! that is awesome artefact of history. Thanks for sharing and making those videos! I’ve been watching a documentary about day D and came across your footage..

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thanks for the comment Anna, I hope you watch more videos on the channel! They were allegedly bought by a museum after the war but it proved too expensive to move them. They remain there to this day

[@annagracheva8714]

@@thehistoryexplorer alright.. i see. Thanks for explanation

[@titititi4314]

👋Merci pour le partage👍🐾🐾🏞️

[@thehistoryexplorer]

You are most welcome!

[@reccecs4]

Arktis Comb Arid FTW!

[@thehistoryexplorer]

My man!

[@anthonywilson4873]

With a bustle on the back and a big gun with breech block sideways, Sherman Firefly with 16 pounder gun?

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Sorry, I’m no armour expert at all

[@TheJimyyy]

They could all be recover and repair for museum

[@thehistoryexplorer]

That would be great wouldn’t it

[@BalataNuri]

👍👍

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you buddy

[@nowheretohideit]

someone buddy just turn into pieces inside... rotten with rusty steel

[@user-bi3ww3im3s]

What this must of been like 80 year's ago heavy enemy fire 💥💥💥 shelling from the sea with battleships and ship's pounding the place 💥💥💥💥 from the air 💥💥💥 good work 🫶🤝🙏 didn't know these where still in situation 🫶🤝🙏💥🙌

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thanks buddy, by all accounts they were only used from 1970-2014 and used for small calibres. Can you imagine the dmamge if they used naval gunfire!

[@user-bi3ww3im3s]

@@thehistoryexplorer unthinkable with bombs and gun fire 💥💥🔥🔥 coming down and around all over the place the start of the push for freedom all the way to Berlin.A lad I used to work with was a commando from the start of World war 2 did all of them European campaign landed in France got evacuated from Dunkirk then back again for the long battles for freedom by the time he got to Germany he was the first man into one of the concentration camps the British freed he couldn't believe what he was seeing after the war John my friend said he never spoke about it. He was a quiet man who could look after himself with been a commando put it this way he took No prisoners if people started playing up. John told me when he was 14 his Dad and him waited for the bus 🚐 3 blokes moved them out of the way in the 1950s said get out of the way old man piled onto the bus 🚐🚌 pushed John and his Dad out of the way as quick as a flash straight onto the bus 🚌 these 3 blokes chucked out on a heap outside of the bus 🚌 the bus driver said can you travel every night 🌃 on my bus we need someone like you 😂the moral of the story respect people and never mess with someone who is about 5foot 8 it could be your last especially a war veteran 🙏🤝🫶💥

[@blitzpixgarage3319]

No WWII graveyard, just an old french post war training ground...

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Sorry you didn’t enjoy the video

[@andersbeackman3852]

SHoting range from after th war

[@fburton8455]

Cheaper to leave them I guess.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Yes apparently they were purchased but it would cost a great deal to recover them

[@billballbuster7186]

There were very few if any German tanks in the Cotentin Peninsular facing the Americans. Almost all German armour, 8 Panzer Divisions, of Rommel's Army Group West, were facing the British 21st Army Group around Caen.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Very true.

[@andrewwood6285]

Yup that’s the answer you get when you ask about the vehicles left behind in the sand dunes in Iraq, and deserts of Afghanistan. For years after WWII the main export of Libya was scrap metal.

[@billballbuster7186]

@@andrewwood6285 I think that with modern tanks they do their best to recover them. But I can well believe the Libyan story, at the battle of El Alamein in 1942 there were over 1,000 tanks destroyed 50/50 split between British and German/ Italian. They like to call Patton the "Tank General" but the most tanks he ever faces was 120 lol

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Yes, only a couple of second rate training and replacement battalions with old obsolete French tanks were in the Cotentin. The closest any panzer division got to the Cotentin was 17th SS and that never got north of Carentan. It wasn't even a panzer division but a panzergrenadier division with only one battalion of circa 40 Sturmgeschutz assault guns.

[@Divert486]

Generally speaking the "G" symbol on the front of a Sherman tank during World War II represented the British Guards Armoured Division.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I never knew that! It never made it to the Guards Armoured. Thanks for sharing.

[@SteveRussellP]

Those are US Sherman’s not British tanks. And the numbers are casting numbers then and where they were made

[@antonycoe1290]

The British used Sherman's in great numbers. Supplied as part of the lend-lease agreement ​@@SteveRussellP

[@onahi2002]

So. The ww2 Tank graveyard is actually 3 tanks on a disused French anti armour range ?

[@thehistoryexplorer]

No. There are more than a dozen armoured vehicles here ranging from WW2 up to the 70s. I visited this location on the way to get my ferry as I had some time to kill. As my primary interest is in WW2 I wanted to find the Sherman tanks left here after the war. Is that ok?

[@onahi2002]

Of course, whats not OK is missleading people with exaggerated video titles. I know Normandy like the back of my hand. I read your title with great interest, believing this was a location id missed from visting over the last 49 years, both with my Regiment as a serving soldier, and since as a military historian. To say i was dissapointed is an understatement. Also, military anti armour ranges are carefully located, and old armour is relocated. These haven't been left after the war, suggesting thay stand where there were left in action. Strictly not true. Hope that helps ?

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Nige, do you honestly think that comment is necessary or appropriate? For me, getting to explore amongst the sand dunes was a real treat and I had great fun with my wife. I managed to find three of the tanks in the time I had available too. Have a great weekend

[@onahi2002]

@@thehistoryexplorer All comments are Necessary. That's for your algorithms. Appropriate ? Of course. Its constructive criticism about the content you have produced. You shouldn't take anything personal. If you have, then maybe KZbin isn't for you. ? Keep your history Factual. And your titles accurate. All the best !

[@BBJohnny52]

Should be guarded. That's not right.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Too expensive to move them apparently

[@moeshiner156]

Don't tell Bruce Crompton, lol. He will buy the whole lot!!

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I’m not sure they can be recovered due AoNB

[@Belachaow950]

Where is location?

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s near Cherbourg on the western coast of the Cotentin peninsula, Normandy

[@Belachaow950]

@@thehistoryexplorer I m very excited to see this place (location) but I from India and poor femily belong I have no Visa

[@vrosi1963]

they should be removed and preserved , only the French would do this you don't see any of there poorly designed junk tanks there do we ,

[@thehistoryexplorer]

They are in an area of outstanding natural beauty and so it would cost a fortune to remove them and not cause any damage, so I’m told

[@56ty78ui]

Going to Normandy, and unfortunately being buffeted by winds. I think back in 1944 the real heroes, didn't give a shit about audio and a go pro. Get real.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Jeez I hope life gets better for you buddy. You must be in a pretty dark place to be offended by this

[@56ty78ui]

@@thehistoryexplorer That's a nice response.

[@antonycoe1290]

​@@56ty78ui I bet you are fun at parties.

[@Strength-in-Union]

I nearly never saw you, in your tank-stalking jacket! 🟥🟥 🟦🟦

[@thehistoryexplorer]

My wind smock 😂 although sunny, the wind was freezing 🟥 🟥 🟦 🟦

[@Strength-in-Union]

@thehistoryexplorer Speak soon Dude 👍🏻