This Incredible WW2 Landing Craft was Found in a Farmer's Field!

[@chris070563]

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

[@TheByard]

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-oe2gh]

@@TheByard That has a ring of truth around it. Something Americans would do. Cheers

[@TheByard]

@@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. ?????

[@kcgunesq]

@@TheByard I believe that was to make room for additional planes and helos to land. Not so that people could sit there.

[@phillipwood9833]

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.

[@naxis5000]

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.

[@stevewilson6390]

Good idea ! Recovery and restoration of military history .

[@Mrfort]

Don`t forget the monety gain from YOU tube , last time i looked it`s somthing like 1000.a hour.

[@playerroku4412]

Right. Go to Netflix and demand a series. Easy enough! Wow!

[@dhgcrack3r111]

@@Mrfort wgat

[@xjjtvx2533]

@@stevewilson6390 Should call it 'Saving Private History'

[@Dj3ndo]

Hats off to these people preserving this piece of history!

[@christopherfarrow]

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.

[@The.Pickle]

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.

[@julieannmatthews3639]

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?

[@MartintheTinman]

Motorbikes don't have heavy enough gauge metal to survive that

[@grantm6514]

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"

[@kushpaladin300]

americans don't say "bloody". we aren't in England

[@bababoie2314]

Huh? I thought americans use old scraps as target practice

[@joshuabruce9599]

@@kushpaladin300 but it was recovered in the Fens which is in England. So the farmers were English, ergo, 'bloody' is accurate.

[@iamalpharius6288]

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.

[@garbagebanditdayz819]

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.

[@donjones4719]

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.

[@hoogelande]

@@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.

[@lostonlongisland6845]

of course they did, nothing the british built themselves worked in ww2

[@nelldavila3261]

Did you not hear of the landings on France crossing the English canal? That’s probably the single most important event of the war

[@garbagebanditdayz819]

@@nelldavila3261 no… I haven’t heard about D-Day one of the single most important military operations in recent history….

[@stephensmith4480]

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.

[@desmcharris]

Incredible! Love this WW2 archeology, and yes it needs to be preserved.

[@brucekaraus7330]

Why?

[@andrewh5457]

@@brucekaraus7330 why not.

[@HollywoodMarine0351]

@@brucekaraus7330 go away hippie.

[@markbrown351]

@@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

[@TokyoAkiHara]

@@markbrown351 Because it glorifies war. There are plenty of artifacts left over from the war already. Just leave it at that.

[@robertkeddie]

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.

[@adruxit2526]

dang I wanna be a “fitter” too

[@TheChrisey]

Why'd they do that? Hide it from Nazis?

[@ChargerMagnum440]

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.

[@Husky1run]

We should never forget the Men that fought for Freedom in WW2 God Bless them all

[@Husky1run]

@Flippy yes i did very interesting

[@Starshine2007]

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_BP]

the fact the back opens up without any maintenance besides cleaning is incredible... stainless steel is also incredible

[@samdevisser1881]

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.

[@Bucksighter]

The re-enacting, equipment and locations all seemed pretty good and accurate

[@samholdsworth420]

United States Marines? Or the British Marines? I can Google it but I'll wait for your answer 😂

[@samdevisser1881]

@@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

[@BatMan-oe2gh]

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.

[@HollywoodMarine0351]

Looking forward to seeing the others recovered, restoration project, and them running.

[@GrahamWalters]

They have two at Bovington tank museum, which I think are in working order

[@HollywoodMarine0351]

@@GrahamWalters awesome! Would be nice to see the excavated LVT’s to operating alongside Bovington LVTs.

[@brucekaraus7330]

Why?

[@GrahamWalters]

@@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.

[@HollywoodMarine0351]

@@brucekaraus7330 you must live a boring life if you continue asking the same question on different viewer comments.

[@Bill_8864]

78 years later on, we are still finding things from the landings, AMAZING !

[@paulackley6919]

Throughly enjoyed this video. Remembering all who served & sacrificed.

[@vipertwenty249]

A serious and determined effort to return at least one of these to running condition as a tribute to their crews should be made.

[@trvman1]

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.

[@vipertwenty249]

@@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.

[@wsherratt5159]

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

[@chas2can124]

As an ADF Veteran I applaud what this means for all of the Australian Soldiers did for the British Empire. Lest We Forget.

[@Pattern51lover]

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

[@PimpLenin]

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!

[@theodorewiltrout8770]

I'm praying that they excavate the rest and restore all of them to remember all great men who served in WW2.

[@HeavyH2006]

Wow An absolutely amazing adventure story! Hats off to these committed enthusiasts. Bring them up and let the buffaloes roam!!

[@dougtheviking6503]

Excellent job 👏. Way to go Brits! 🇬🇧 Hope you can recover the rest . What a job man all that mud out of that thing .

[@kensherwood4866]

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.

[@auditoryrythms873]

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!

[@timtaylor1365]

Absolutely amazing. What an incredible story and hard work piecing it all together - well done indeed!

[@malcontender6319]

They don't make em like that anymore. Well done.

[@banterlad1514]

Amazing effort by all involved.

[@arcamean785]

The real crowning achievement would be the restoration of at least one to working order because nothing beats living history.

[@howardrundle4862]

Wonderful history unearthed, well done to all involved :)

[@RobertEHunt-dv9sq]

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!!!

[@martijnvandonselaar8957]

Thet have been used in Zeeland, in the battle for the Scheldt River, 1945. There is plenty film and pics of them being around.

[@legobatman8353]

Apparently there is a ton of equipment buried in Southampton on the common and in the New Forest where troops were billeted.

[@matthewschrimpshire8528]

I hope to see you guys dig up another 1

[@herb2078]

Amazing work gents! Fantastic to see what a piece of history

[@gloriaspencer9220]

Absolutely amazing. So awesome, can’t wait to see the rest. History should be preserved. Thank You for what you do.

[@nickwebb7868]

I am just surprised that Bruce Crompton did not get wind of this. i bet he would be up there like a shot

[@yatehay]

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.

[@robertreynolds8092]

Trying to stem a flood with amphibious vehicles, just brilliant.

[@Jon962-h4i]

Brilliant. Thanks for reporting this guys. I wish you luck for the future!

[@LAFTA]

Brilliant work lads, what an amazing piece of history!

[@garethbliss]

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.

[@ElementalMassage]

Great video! Thank you and you family for all the work you do!

[@Mortimer992]

over 70 Years and still partially working. What would I give for our technology to do the same.

[@Hebr1dean]

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.

[@GreggR2020]

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.

[@razorsedge6468]

That's awesome. I hope you can find more. I hope they will be restored and put on display.

[@mjs9658]

Dan Snow....he opens his mouth and his arms start moving....incredible. Let the story speak.

[@martinjohnson9316]

Very annoying so called presenter.

[@khcopter]

Wow thank you for making that that was really cool!!!

[@timeverhartofficial]

i hope they restore this.

[@robertyboberty7495]

It says allot about the British army that attempted to make a flood barrier out of something designed to float. Great video thanks.

[@jeffburnham6611]

Well they don't exactly "float" in the traditional sense. Don't forget they weigh about 15 tons.

[@pdtech4524]

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! 😎👍

[@brucekaraus7330]

I think you've missed the point of history.

[@pdtech4524]

@@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....👍😎

[@HollywoodMarine0351]

@@brucekaraus7330I think you’ve missed the point on how to use your brain. Go away Xerox troll.

[@mclew1234]

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

[@brucekaraus7330]

Why?

[@HollywoodMarine0351]

@@brucekaraus7330 why not? Life with your two dogs in NM getting you down?

[@MianCowell]

Rebuilding the engine will probably be the hardest part

[@ChrisPbiker]

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!

[@joshjacobjonesjoshjacobjon2899]

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! 🙏

[@williamcarter9749]

That is awesome!! It needs to be fully restored and cleaned up.

[@Danger_mouse]

7:31 The angles on that driveshafts 😳 You'd need to replace the uni joints every second day! A great piece of history 👍

[@andyleaver5578]

Amazing they need all the support

[@BigMrFirebird]

This may have been used in the storming of Walcheren, Holland.

[@supplement420]

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.

[@paulbradford8240]

They all need to be recovered and then restored to working order. Well done.

[@litamtondy]

The pond with the military vehicpes at the bottom is definitely fascinating.

[@howardswanson2343]

You beat the Army indeed and got to hear all the stories. Floating vehicles to stop the flood? Classic history.

[@nickbedingfield1699]

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

[@billlombard9911]

Wow just wow , Amazing makes me want to go to Lincolnshire

[@carlsherwin5557]

Bring your wellies if you do mate😆

[@billlombard9911]

@@carlsherwin5557 of course

[@markhirstwood4190]

@@carlsherwin5557 :-)

[@boltonky]

Ohh its this farmer dude, he already excavated a tank i believe from another part of the property and a pill box/bunker there is actually a whole doco on it somewhere. Awesome work to bring history back...

[@jimminey-fooking-cricket4903]

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.

[@jeffk4223]

History is just that, His Story.

[@FrankHorigan]

Dang that’s awesome that they found that lvta4 i can’t wait to see it restored.

[@erwinhoes5090]

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

[@justabearp8789]

These were also used heavily by the Canadian Army during the campaign through Holland, Battle Of The Scheldt and the attack on Walcheren Island.

[@Buck1954]

England is a treasure trove of buried history.

[@Hitman-ds1ei]

These guys are just crazy enthusiastic or what !!

[@lioneldickerson1550]

Save all of the Buffalo's, they are WW2 history.

[@cogboy302]

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.

[@tarnocdoino3857]

That thing is from an era when stuff was well made. The men and women who worked those factories knew that their fathers, brothers, and sons would ride in them and they did not build for planed obsolescence.

[@jmanhuntley]

Fantastic job chaps. Really keen to learn more and see you unearth some more..

[@ricksturdevant2901]

10:34 pm Wednesday 4/26/23 San Diego, CA. I really enjoy HH and the topics you present and details you provide 👍👌👏

[@dawor1761]

Great job!! Thanks for preserving these historical vehicles.

[@bertbert7592]

my grandad served on the buffalos in ww2 i have pictures of him and the men in live action with these

[@Exciting__Electronics]

Crazy to think what's under the ground we walk on.

[@animaltown1234]

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

[@thedungeondelver]

"Oh bugger, the LVT's on fire"

[@redmage777]

And two more in the pond? Sounds like a fun episode of Adventures With Purpose...

[@Limabelasun]

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.

[@sinistercharger]

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

[@cormacjones12]

Now it only needs to be restored

[@drones7838]

I remember when Dan started doing videos with his dad now he looks like his dad

[@jascollinscork]

Wow well done to them 👏🏻👏🏻 great to see a team do this 👌🏻😍

[@AJXR6T]

Sounds like a typical military idea “let’s use something that floats as a wall to stop rising water”

[@whiskeybuilder6335]

Those are tough vehicles. I'm certain I could get her running. So good to see them unearthed.

[@daveeagle4073]

Wow! It's a pity no one wants to help me recover 840 Rolls Royce Merlin Engines and a Spitfire seaplane.

[@abdool1972]

Proof there's still some treasure under those rolling British hills.

[@theonlybuzz1969]

Very cool, great job guys 👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@Dubjaxfilms]

I hope they dig up nd restore them all

[@twstf8905]

Awesome 👍

[@donovanmclaughlin4830]

I was told by a desert storm veteran, anytime a military vehicle and equipment was no longer needed they would dig a 15ft hole and bury everything in it. He says there is at least by his own eyes twenty near the border of kuwait.

[@camrenwick]

Is it going to be restored?