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Post Info TOPIC: Was anything ever found
Centurion


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Was anything ever found
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I came across the following item in the Independant from 2001
The Mark One tank was given to the Lancashire town of Haslingden in 1919 in recognition of the locals' war efforts. But councillors found themselves paying rather too much on its upkeep and are believed to have buried it 16ft beneath a park in 1927. Local records shed no light on its disappearance. But a search is under way for what is now a rare military specimen. The Mark One was a key weapon in several First World War battles.

On Wednesday a team of local treasure hunters was given permission by Rossendale council to dig upVictoria Park, under which they believe the tank rests. Initial excavations have found the railings and stone plinth on which it was mounted.

Tank enthusiast Brian Boyssaid: "Rumours of its existence have been circulating for years, so I got my metal detector and started looking... There is a depression in the ground about 27ft long - the size of a tank - and I picked up a signal all over it.

"When we find the tank we'll dig a few feet around it and use chains and a crane to pull it out," said Mr Boys.

I suspect if there is anything there it is in fact a Mk IV anyone know anything about this.



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James H


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Excellent spot, Cent.

Brian Boys is a very interesting man. Not only does he own a large building company, but he's a collector of military vehicles and he hires them out for film & TV companies. In fact, I think I met him a long time ago on a set. Here's his site:

http://www.milweb.net/go/select/index.html

He's not too far from me, and I would think even closer to Jellitwig. I'll get in touch and report back.

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Gwyn Evans


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See Miscellaneous Chit-Chat on the GWF for the thread on "Buried tanks".

I've seen this elsewhere as well, in my googling around the Internet. I'm sure nothing was ever found, and more likely than not it's another urban legend.

Gwyn

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James H


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Received this reply from Peter Boys:

Thank you for the e mail.
 We did start a search for the tank in Victoria Park at Haslingden however without success. We spent a day with an excavator digging in two locations One uncovered the concrete base where the tank had stood (we had photographic evidence to verify this). The other location proved fruitless.
 Interest was gathering and we abandoned the dig after that.
 An extensive search of the park would be necessary using hi-tec equipment.
 We were told by a senior citizen that he remembered the tank being buried but couldnt say where. It was buried he claimed because scrap value was very low at the time.
 Great web site by the way!
 Kind Regards
 Peter Boys


-- Edited by James H at 11:11, 2007-09-05

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Ian


Corporal

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What a great story. Let's call Philippe Gorczynski, he can find tanks by smell alone!

Seriously though, surely somebody somewhere has the necessary equipment to do a thorough survey? It's a shame that the trail has gone cold.

Regards,

Ian.

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PDA


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I nominate James to contact Baldric and the rest of Time Team to have a poke around and see what turns up.

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James H


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Off-topic, but a great line from Humphrey Lyttelton on ISIHAC:

"Tony Robinson, best known as the dimwitted, evil-smelling sidekick in the popular television series Time Team."


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kieffer


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but why on earth did the people of Haslingden dug a hole to get rid of their tank?
Was all done in secret, folks digging during one dark and rainy night or did nobody came up with the brilliant idea to give the tank away for free?
Or do I miss something here...

Kieffer

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Ironsides


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The councillors were concerned with the costs.....
It would have course have cost them to hire the necesary labour to dig the hole and equipment to move the 30 ton tank into its pit.....
And what did they do with the great pile of rubble afterwards cart it away.... more costs?....... did anyone see it being buried are there any pics or articles from local newspapers?....
sounds like an urban myth to mewink

Cheerssmile



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James H


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It's only a rumour.

http://haslingdens.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-became-of-our-ww1-mkiii-tank.html

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=111796

-- Edited by James H on Thursday 29th of July 2010 12:19:39 PM

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kieffer


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the rubble..."Nothing without labour" is written on the coat of arms of Haslingden.
And they were famous for stone quarrying, the Haslingden Flagstone being exported everywhere used as pavement for instance in London, Trafalgar Square...
So moving some earth wasn't new for the folks there I guess.wink

regards, Kieffer


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James H


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It's only a rumour.


http://haslingdens.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-became-of-our-ww1-mkiii-tank.html

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=111796

BTW, the flagstone used as paving gives rise to the habit round these parts of referring to the pavement as "flags", which may confuse the non-native. "It (the sun) is cracking the flags" means the weather is very hot. Just in case you're ever in the area.

-- Edited by James H on Friday 30th of July 2010 01:17:06 AM

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PDA


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Good links, James, thank you.

Have you had a reply from Baldric's agent yet? Perhaps Charlie Dimmock could also be persuaded to get involved, to put the gardens back in order again after all the frantic digging.






-- Edited by PDA on Saturday 31st of July 2010 02:11:55 PM

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