Their most used tactic was to claim all sites were war graves.

Don’t want to start a discussion on the rights and wrongs of that argument – Those of us experienced in this field know the facts of the matter and all those in this category that I have met and spoken to, treat those few sites where this is the case with the respect they deserve.

However there are still those who are trying to perpetuate this myth and use it for their own purposes – the ill-informed and opinionated rants on this “Blog” will no doubt be familiar to a few on here, but this recent offering borders on the offensive 😡 and to those mentioned is probably libellous?

Avro Lancaster Mk. I W4326 ‘C’ Charlie

I recall many years ago (not saying how many! ;)) my father was the commanding officer of the NUOTC (think that’s right?) at Newcastle & I used to make a nuisance of myself during school holidays climbing all over their armoured personnel carriers and 25 pounders etc. One day I spotted a fuselage with two cockpits dumped outside one of the workshops – I was told it was a Chipmunk but at that age I was still more interested in armoured vehicles :eek:, though I remember it looked a lot older to me and am sure it was fabric covered over a tublar framework. However I realised it was obviously surplus to requirements so tried my best shot at trying to persuade my Dad that it would make a good garden feature 😀 I failed, but recall that it had come from a local ATC unit who wanted rid of it but didn’t know how to go about disposing of it officially so they had dumped it on my father’s unit – who didn’t want it either. It was there fore a few weeks and then was simply put out with the dustbins and the council waste services came to pick it up 🙁 Wonder how many other ATC toys ended up on the tip?

Hi Ian & Gareth

Thought that prop looked familiar – even if it has less blades than ours! :p Shame about the grip – looks like you have a fossil on your hands! A tad cold for a dig though IMO, but you seem to have so many to fit in! 😮 At least you are managing to complete a few projects though, as all of our seemed to fall by the wayside this year 🙁 Been out today & finally got a consent form signed for one of the Mustangs though 😀

by ‘fire’ – the only bit related that I saw was one of the work lights contacting a synthetic hose sending a cloud of noxious smoke up the shaft.

Caught it on Saturday too – made good TV, but obviously filmed over several weeks if not months, probably hence the continuity errors – like the first tentative foray into the tunnel immediatly after it had been pumped out – with acro props in place and partly concealed halogen flood lights fixed to the walls! Best way is to just enjoy it and not get too envious at not being involved in such digs! 😀 Bet they were a bit miffed at finding that it had not been completed, as these bunkers normally reveal a treasure trove of artefacts – I have seen more than they found on an afternoon’s walk in the Argonne!

Remember finding one of those big pumps several years ago at a road works site near Ypres – the workmen said take it, but the wife said NO! 🙁

Cranes!

Would be nice to see that crane restored

Hi Peter – You want to take a trip to Millom if you like cranes – I believe they are accumulating quite a collection – mainly with a military connection of course!

TT

As Alan has said for some reason the series that the A-26 “Bombers in the Marsh” excavation appeared in does not seem to have made it to satellite/cable channels – looking at the regularity they repeat those, perhaps they felt they had enough to keep them going for a few years yet!? 🙁 It has turned up on More4 a few time though 🙂

Re the recent special – I understand that the Vampir farm (also known as Strohgut) complex was found a while ago and there is plenty of information and original photos on this forum

A contact of mine visited the site earlier this year having arrived in the area the week before filming, when they were pumping it out in preparation. There are many of these bunker/tunnel complexes surviving as they fill with water, which preserves them and helps prevent their collapse 😮