THE TRUE STORY BEHIND £2M WORTH OF GOLD BARS HIDDEN IN A TANK

[@gd3782]

Sitting in an armchair in a freezing cold shed telling a story and you are still 110% more interesting than most of the other channels on here. Keep up the good work.

[@officialmysteriousrider6327]

Very intresting story now invest in a chinese usb powerbank heated jacket 😂

[@davidmarsh959]

totally agreeee

[@bakedbeanzontoast9078]

Or have a large malt whiskey and a packet of Doritos.......

[@alxgu198]

🤝 no sh!t sir.

[@dutchyjhome]

Oh absolutely !

[@Alana-Levy]

Joe I genuinely believe you are the real deal. Complete honesty, no edge, a terrific crew around you, and just great fun no matter what you're up to. Thanks for sharing.

[@babalonkie]

"Don't believe everything on the internet, including this" Can i have one of those gold bars?

[@TUMBLINJEST]

but what were the gold bars in the photo im thinking..lol ok lead wheel weights and aunties old water pipes melted in london bricks and painted christmas gold spray perhaps lol

[@Wyrm1701]

@@TUMBLINJEST You'll not be the first to get fooled by dodgy gold. There's a story of an African nation that bought a job lot of gold to try and stabilise their currency a bit; didn't work so they ended up trying to sell it again. Got spun immediately because the daft sods had gone and bought a load of gilded steel bars and hasn't had the wit to try drilling them for verification at point of sale.

[@dtiydr]

Exactly my thought. xD

[@dtiydr]

@@TUMBLINJEST Yes of course and good made as well I would say.

[@mikeschillinger4427]

All the gold was seized by king Charlie and sent to China to keep him in Kung pow chicken.

[@swing-di4tt]

Best TED talk I've watched in ages!

[@marks7502]

Ted is the real gold

[@G6PBS]

@swing-di4tt Best reply :)

[@RobertGracie]

That is a remarkable story about the Gold bars hidden in that tank, always good to have a decent story once in a while!

[@ibubezi7685]

In the tank's tanks.... The Keystone Coppers were confused for a while....

[@DIVERBLOKE1]

I don't believe a word of it. The Gold was absolutely real and real (not lead painted gold) and enabled you to give up work and retire to a farm and work 12 hours a day with few holidays repairing military vehicles for next to nothing.

[@macbeth2354]

I mean, how else are we going to believe he paid for those luxury vehicles they ride around with? Like that Bentley for example!

[@pinkyfull]

@@macbeth2354 not like he renovated a chieftain and sold it for multiple millions to a guy from the USA or anything.

[@arthurmiller-vl6sw]

I love how no-one picks up on sarcasm on the internet.

[@MrHewes]

🤣

[@Wolvenworks]

@@arthurmiller-vl6swbit hard to spot one nowadays when everything sounds so absurdly viable despite the absurdity. But they did say reality can be stranger than fiction.

[@n0bby_Barnden]

I recommend the channel to pretty much everyone I meet, somehow managing to randomly steer conversations about completely unrelated subjects onto tank repairs or, more often, Ted. Hopefully everyone else will do likewise and keep your subs rising to half a million in 2025. Happy New Year!

[@sidwainhouse]

I had the displeasure of meeting the said individual who was doing the dodgy tank deals, this was just before the investigation was made public. He had imported a couple of vehicles through Marchwood allegedly on behalf of The Household Cavalry Museum, I was serving at Marchwood at the time. Michael Whatley received a two year suspended sentence when caught.

[@macabru999]

made a couple hundred thousand got 2 years suspended (basically 0 days in jail) and is off to enjoe his easy made money

[@sidwainhouse]

@@macabru999 pretty much. Suspended sentence normally means immediate discharge from the Forces and loss of any pension rights so hopefully he's not getting that.

[@jonb3311]

He went to the right school, joined the right regiment and has a funny handshake. SAS sergeant found with a handgun under his bed goes inside.

[@MozTS]

Uk is such an incredibly corrupt society. All about what fancy school some upper class dipshit went to and if he was molested by the right headmaster and its a free ticket to steal for life

[@nigelleppard8457]

He was a disgrace to the military, he tried sell me a Leopard A1.. Good job I got cold feet.

[@TheSheriff83]

I was in the household cavalry with the said major and remember the story of him setting up the museum. I can’t imagine he will still be serving as he must be in his 80’s by now.

[@MrHewes]

Probably for the best then 🤣

[@Ralph94967]

Donkey walloper. Let away. Wow. Household Calvary. Blinding scam.

[@DieyoungDiefast]

Majors, dodgy bods.

[@struckoffdoc88]

www.gov.uk/government/news/police-probe-sees-disgraced-ex-major-face-jail-threat#:~:text=The%20MDP%20investigation%20into%20Michael,Crown%20Copyright.

[@jonathanevery6157]

Same here 🔵🔴🔵. I also remember a few other stories from when I was in 😂

[@masaharumorimoto4761]

This channel has become a cornerstone of my weekly routine :) Thanks fellas, so many awesome videos, looking forward to the future!!!!

[@stefankarlsson9762]

This Major Whatley is quite well known and I was myself involved in getting two vehicles back to Sweden from this "getleman". The Swedish Army had to pay for the transport to UK and now back again. The two vehicles, one Ikv 91 and one APC 302 was in perfect condition when they were delivered in 2005 and 2008 but in terrible state when they got back. The MOD Police had stored them outside with open hatches for 10 years. I told these MOD Police officers what a bunch of idiots they were, not able to keep the vehicles under a roof all these years and not being able to get this "gentleman" to pay for everything.

[@sheep1ewe]

A true shame they let them sit like that, at least they could had closed the hatches and putting a tarp on top of them, i don´t think they realise how much work it realy takes to fix that type of damage.

[@Qspecialman]

They were in training to join the Met when they left the army.

[@PumaTwoU]

so - now maybe you should sell fake gold bars in the merch section, stamped with your logo. And maybe Ted's paw print of approval

[@Qspecialman]

Now that, is a very good idea. What a talking point down the pub.

[@TanksalotGB]

My Chinese contact is making them now, thanks for the input.

[@Qspecialman]

@@TanksalotGBLove it! Real free enterprise.

[@simontheeldergeek523]

Have you seen the price of lead?

[@ProjectMarlin]

I worked on the MOD site that he kept the vehicles on and even did a few repairs for him, I was also there the day that the MOD police turned up to seize them. With my boss I helped get a Hotchkis apc and a saladin under cover and into a secure shed on the site.

[@mattt525]

Happy new Year from a Yank across the pond Mr. Hewes. You are living my dream! Appreciate you and your mates

[@tlrfun3]

I do like the dripping water in front of the camera whilst you talk to give the scene depth and atmosphere 😂😂

[@MrHewes]

Can’t be having people thing we can afford a fancy roof 🤣

[@michaelhowells7790]

Hello,I was in the RAF 79-89,I was an aircraft tech,Vulcan's,Wessex and Lightning's. Military stuff does not interest me at all,however,I saw an episode of yours on You Tube,and now I can't stop watching it,the laughs,jokes and banter reminds me of my time in the RAF.I saw the one yesterday when you were at the U-boat museum in Birkenhead,that is not to far from where I live.Anyway I digress,keep up the great work,keeping an old fart happy...

[@gordonagent7037]

Bloody good yarn. All the best to you and your team for 2025, love your content and channel, always a bit of a chuckle and bit of old war history restoration.

[@Gazman110]

Joe I really feel like you are the real deal. Complete honesty, no edge, great crew around you and just great entertainment whatever you are up to. Thank you for sharing

[@gavinniles60]

First fix of the new year Nice to know the truth behind the gold bar story Thanks Joe and the geneus that is Ted Happy new year to you all

[@Nordern]

"Don't believe everything you see on the internet, including this video" So that means there is a chance there indeed WAS gold in the fuel tanks?

[@johumm455]

liquid gold these days

[@James76767]

BALD

[@happydawgproductions7103]

Bald?

[@peterwardle572]

Joe, keep plugging on, you always tell a good story that is worth watching, and your heavy weight mechanics on a budget of Zero is worth watching, Happy New Year, and tell Ted he is a STAR, here's to 500,000.

[@scudwerfer]

1. I so admire, what you do for a living. I also own a tank but very limited space of land. 10 m forward - thats it. Military shows in switzerland - mostly gone! I hope soooo much for a greater landfill near my home and yeah for more public shows with miltary machineries and their fans. 2. I dont get the fact, that this tank(s) were stolen. Of corse, if he has no museum but get the tanks for free - how is there a lawsuit? 3. untill this day......the hidden gold in the tank was in the not english tankers scene a fact - now i know it was a scam...lol thanks

[@adrianflower3230]

PotatoCam should become a regular feature with it strapped round Teds collar 👔🐕 😁😁 Great story, thanks for sharing 👍

[@markedwards158]

That would be Boss Cam. 😂

[@Spartan902]

You will reach 500k easily guys. You guys are a great example of getting off your butts and diving into your passion. It's a lovely 27 degrees Celsius here today by the way.

[@888johnmac]

lol .. i'd heard the story of the gold hidden in a tank & guessed somebody had watched Kelly's Hero's too often ... now i know where it started

[@nilo70]

I’m not sure you actually can watch Kelly’s Hero too many times ?

[@planecrazyghostrider]

@@nilo70 Woof woof

[@jezrougan]

I've got a T55A from Baghdad... Doesn't hold much fuel in the fuel tank.... Fancy buying it...? 🤔

[@simon-oy6um]

Wouldnt fit in my driveway sorry 😂😂

[@karlchristoffer1275]

Had it on a scale...? 😉

[@jan_vyhnak]

You need just wash the tank. I can do it for you. CHEAP!

[@Muhammad_28-y8t]

I am from Baghdad

[@JohnRonayne-c5j]

Great story, and delivery. You should do more story telling with Ted. Just add a full pint and a pipe 😊. My dream is to own a main battle tank, you and the crew keep that dream going. Thanks for sharing the details and history of each project underway. Makes me smile 😊

[@722garage9]

More Ronnie Corbett style arm chair vids. Lovely. Just need to be by a roaring log fire for the next one and Jack’s Mum serving you a cider.

[@MrHewes]

🤣🤣

[@markedwards158]

How is Jack’s mum? Not heard of her for a while. Bless her. 😀

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

Sooooo the producer turned to me and said......

[@garethmercer4666]

I came to the comments hoping someone would point this out 🙂🙂🤣

[@TX-biker]

Love the chair🤠 “Fireside chat “ style

[@DieyoungDiefast]

Probably wished a fire was present.

[@peternoble3127]

Good to see Ted made you come clean and reveal the truth about the gold bars. The look he gave you at the end of the video said it all...

[@warrenwhite6544]

Hey guys we really enjoy watching your videos and enjoying all the humor and information about the tanks and your ability to get anything going, Jack is such a treat. We truly love his crazy antics. Keep up with the great videos, and we'll be waiting and watching.

[@nickhorne5135]

Happy new year - ace channel - I'm sure you will easily get to 500!

[@R.Hunter-q9t]

Good Story about the Russian Tank, Sorry to hear it was cold where you were sitting but to Ted it seems that he wasn't cold? You and Jack are a riot on the show. So glad that you and he are good friends. I enjoy this channel. Rather watch you two than two watch TV. It like Jack waits for the moment to get you, always gets you good, and your lost for words. I am SURPRIZED YOU NEVER GOT YOUR HANDS on a M1Abram Tank! Or ever a M4A2E8 SHERMAN Tank. Whatever got you into Working on Tanks? Well always enjoy watching all your episodes on YOU TUBE! Love how all the people and family get along so well. Excellent Show!!

[@HD-dz4uk]

Great story well told, Ted's direction was spot on too. Great stuff 👍.

[@connorsmith6226]

Brilliant! Really enjoying your videos Joe. Love the no nonsense approach (really starting to hate the fake enthusiasm in alot of videos nowadays), love the minimal editing, love Ted joining you in the unit for this story time and overall love the channel! Thank you!

[@alanmckeown5377]

Really enjoyed that story was like being a child again listening to jackanory 👍😁

[@dasflugal]

Really enjoyed this one, sitting in an armchair telling a story I felt like I could grab a beer and sit back and really chill. Can we have more please.

[@clungepoker6749]

I was expecting a story full of negative waves... instead everything turned out fine in the end, cool story Joe 👍🏼😁

[@MrHewes]

I felt it was the end of the world at the time. The human mind has a way of making you feel there’s now way out. But in reality things are never as bad as you thought

[@clivehorridge]

@@MrHewes Absolutely, never give up, time marches on and you can always look back on those “insurmountable” times… Happy new Year Ted and crew!

[@martinwhetstone2055]

Loving the videos pal, very interesting to watch as I’m slowly watching all of them lol 😂, Can we see more of the under ground room progress & updates aswell please 🙏 😊

[@stuartbridger5177]

Great tale, very well presented. You are a natural in front of the camera. I bet it was a real brown trousers moment when the plod arrived. Good job you can look back on it with a smile.

[@MrHewes]

I was genuinely very depressed and stressed at the time

[@Thermopylae2024]

Great story ... Ted watching wondering why he never got his cut of the 2 mil Question ... Where is Chisel-face ?

[@chris1newbury]

apparently the police never found the serial number because Ted kept distracting them by driving past the farm at five miles per hour above the speed limit

[@stuartrobb673]

You and the boys cocking about are the heirs to Clarkson and friends. Keep up the great work!!!

[@7seriesmax]

It’s nice to know I’ve been with you since you filmed things with a potato. You’re my favorite KZbin channel kid, keep it up.

[@JosephJackson-uf1iw]

You are a natural story teller, you should try narrating on Watch with Mother or even Thomas the TANK engine.

[@dieseldownunder.]

Wow thanks for sharing that’s how I originally found you was the gold bar story, I had always thought it was true and I felt really bad for you😂 I always wondered how you had dealt with that and slept at night cause I would have had so many thoughts going on in my head lol thanks for sharing excellent video!

[@_Cads]

I’m fairly new to the channel, but am hooked and currently working my way through the back catalogue. Great stuff.

[@GodOfBiscuits66]

I knew about the finding gold in a tank story and thought it was real. Thanks for clearing that up and the back story of what really happened.

[@nilo70]

This is the most interesting episode I’ve ever seen. I loved the way you made it and I stopped doing what I was doing and listened to you tell the amazing story. Well Done You. Cheers From California 😎

[@-Hari-03]

youll get well over 500k this year. love this stuff so much

[@scottlp2323]

A 'Ripping Yarns' for the 21st century. Love it! 😁

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

Over the Andie's by Frog 🐸... In Berlin Camouflage.😂

[@SimDeck]

I quite like this Major chap. A bit of a character in this dull world we are meandering in.

[@57northphoto32]

Brilliant stuff Joe, nice of you to take the time and tell us the real story, also it might have been filmed on a potato but she sounded great and shot a bit of flame like a Stalwart 🔥👍🏻👍🏻

[@stevefairbanks835]

Always a really good watch, interesting, informative and bloody entertaining. Keep up the good work and glad you replaced the potato with a camera

[@GarethFairclough]

I remember something that happened during my army days that this video reminded me of. I was part of a unit which had counter artillery radars. COBRA, we called them (as well as MAMBA). The Cobras, from what I remember, didn't fit in most aircraft so had to be shipped or driven around. I heard of one deployment who were caught smuggling millions of duty free ciggies in their Cobra! It was, allegedly, a conspiracy where the REME guys gutted one of the Cobras and worked with the RLC guys to ship those parts back. The empty space was then filled up with smokes, closed up and sealed. From what I heard, they were caught at the very last hurdle when they got back to the unit and the QM found out!!! I don't know when this happened, but I was there in the late 2000s until about 2010. Not sure if I believed it or not, but the regiment magically found money to refurb a few condemned buildings that were still in use. *shrug*

[@johngell4842]

Happy new year gang Great story Love that chair does it swim as good as the stolly 🤠

[@johnshaw4140]

Happy New Year Ted

[@hangdarktw5037]

I really enjoyed this video and there was some real nostalgia… made me think of Ronnie Corbett for some reason…..😅 another career in the offing possibly…. ? Just discovered your channel and really enjoying the current and past content. thank you.😊 edit… blimey, I wonder how many people will even know who Ronnie Corbett is let alone why!

[@MrHewes]

Ronnie was a great guy

[@RogerNorman-q6x]

Could spread a rumour that he is related to Jack - both about the same size. I used to see Ronnie Corbet and his Wife quite regularly in Addiscombe, South London where I worked for a period of time. His wife used to shop in the local Co Op. He would sit outside in the Roller waiting for her while she did the shopping. Don't think she was Jack's Mum though.

[@EddieRiff]

"Tanks 'A' Lot!" For this clarification.

[@572Btriode]

I see what you've done there. . . . . . . . 🙂

[@olivere5497]

you've outflanked Dr Mark 'Markee Boy' 'Marquis of Mark' 'Dr F' 'Felty' Felton❤

[@philsteele7151]

Defo should have used Mark's signature tune on this one.

[@nonyanks2510]

Storytime With Joe.....Great Stuff and I see Ted was the acting director....well done Ted....If only tanks could talk....wait, in the White Tiger they could !

[@johnd7288]

Great story Joe ! Happy New year !

[@clivemacken552]

Great story keep on doing these you will get to the 500,000 very soon

[@LFH02]

Great storey and vid. enjoy watching your channel and the laid back approach. Cheers & thanks for sharing.

[@999fire]

Yep I saw the whole "collection" at the old army camp at Ludgershall around 2010 and the other issue was most of the vehicles weapon systems were still live....keep up the great work and videos

[@PeterSoden-eb6js]

Another brilliantly entertaining video. Love 'filmed on a potato' caption. Very many thanks, Joe.

[@mikebenoit6648]

You are Awesome and love watching you build the Tank

[@GrevilleRyan]

Great story on what happened...hope you were not too cold though. Another good video Mr Hewes, for which I thank you for....

[@markbarkntrunk102]

Really enjoyed the video nice to hear some of the back stories. Thanks for all your hard work

[@dandel351]

Great video. What a story ! (sends Ted a virtual pat ) 😁👍

[@planecrazyghostrider]

I remember hearing this story and thinking why would anyone turn in Gold Bars that you found in a Tank that you bought, If I remember the original story someone had bought the Tank but when they tried to fuel it up it wouldn't hold the correct capacity when they drained the fuel they found numerous Gold bars stolen from Kuwait by the Iraqi Army. But Wow thank you for clarifying, it all makes sense now.

[@Jetpac74]

What a great armchair chat - thank you for sharing it with us !

[@hangdarktw5037]

Only cause of Ted we subscribe….😂

[@sponge1995]

Im subbed for ted ted makes the channel imo hes a good boy

[@BrianSallis-h6z]

thank you Joe for sharing your intrest in Tanks i only started watching because i was bored but now i look forwards to your videos even if some are silly but make me laugh keep up the good work and i would like to wish you and the gang all the best for 2025

[@teamidris]

There was a train guy selling off British rail coaches and locomotives as well. My favourite gold story is the Germans secretly bringing gold to dump in a lake to recover after the war. Which isn’t particularly interesting. What is interesting is people still looking for it in the lake as though it was still in there the next morning :D I tell you, they would have been a lot faster than in the “whisky galore” film.

[@jarheads88]

I love the work videos but this was nice to maybe you could talk before or after about some of the projects that you have going on big thumbs up to you sir !

[@SimonWilliams-to1mx]

Fabulous Story Joe love the channel looking forward to more stories Simon

[@gwinster]

I met the Major at a dinner a couple of years ago, interesting chap!

[@stuartmellor-3463]

I observed a new Mr Hewes video and clicked on it straight away, that’s my style sir !

[@robertbradley2310]

An incredible story told with passion and suspense. A great April Fool but who would have known where it would lead too. Keep up your interesting uploads for 2025.

[@Blayda1]

Loving the content Joe ,, keep going !!. Keep em coming !.

[@geoffrey6000]

That's a ride and a half. What a story. The fact that he's still a Major in the army is ridiculous, should have been kicked out and legal actions taken against him.

[@daveshimeld450]

He was 65 at the time and got a sentence of 2 yrs, (suspended) fined £1500 costs, and had to do 150 hours community service.

[@davidgibbings6085]

I did watch that one on tanks alot , thought it was a joke at the time , I was more interested in the pinzguars he had floating around his gaf , you should get a pinz joe as one of the best off-road vehicles to my knowledge , I wanted to get one after selling my 101GS but prices skyrocketed when being released from MOD sadly ..

[@IrishFoxHound]

Great true story Joe, and Ted! Or is it……🙂 I hope the guys at The Tank Museum have asked you to do some restoration work on the Tog2😊

[@AdeReeves]

Another great video ...keep them coming 👍

[@omelaurus]

I love these kinds of stories! Keep ‘m coming!

[@leonkrouwel1878]

yup, didn't believe, and neather this story, although it's a nice tale. Next one: a huge diamond in a trench near Verdun, a gold treasure near Arnhem, a treasure train in a Silezian tunnel or tsaristic gold in a submarine..., I'll keep watching ;-)

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

The Russians are still looking for the Amber room from the Palace ... true.

[@patharvath3838]

That's a great Story, I remember reading about it and I never followed up to see if it was real Gold, and now I know the rest of the story....

[@paul147a]

Brilliant story 👍 Happy New Year to you all

[@bobuncle8704]

Love this format. Try adding some heat next time. 🤪

[@garypoulton7311]

Great story Joe, looking forward to new videos in 2025, with the angry dwarf, super cool Adam, Ted and all the others.

[@FranktheTank-bk8me]

Thoroughly enjoyed that. What a sordid tale 😁 Either this was part of the Major's retirement plan, or there is more to this story 😏

[@iancole4520]

Love you enthusiasm that you have for these fantastic well made machines . But one question why do most tanks smoke a lot ??

[@dlancello]

Thanks for the info. Love the channel, keep up the good content.

[@jasonvoisey976]

If you did find that your going to need a bigger field! Any land purchases by all involved?

[@richieixtar5849]

Ha! Brilliant.. Thanks Joe, I'd always wondered whether there was more 'depth' to the tale :).. Happy New Year to you all too mate :)

[@barrythatcher9349]

Joe you should be call the, Claude Greengrass of the Tank world. Buying and selling 😅. Oh happy new year Ted.

[@64maxpower]

You have thousands of subs because you all are good dudes who have a passion for what you do

[@64maxpower]

I wish you had made the fortune off that tank. You're a good man. We really have respect for you

[@NUKEzx10r]

I watch all the ads on this channel. 👌

[@MrHewes]

I’m sure it’s annoying but thank you because it allows me to make more and better videos