Video
The moment military tank from ‘great floods of 1947’ is unearthed
Watch the moment a military tank from the ‘great floods of Crowland in 1947’ is unearthed by a group of volunteers wishing to create a permanent memorial. - Credit: © Terry Harris
A group of volunteers have unearthed a 26-foot-long Buffalo military tank in a bid to create a permanent memorial of the ‘great floods of Crowland’ in 1947.
It is thought that 16 LVTs, brought in during the late 40s to help seal the breach of the flood, remain buried underneath the Lincolnshire soil.
Aerial pictures of the 26-foot-long Buffalo tank being extracted from the earth. - Credit: © Terry Harris
Spearheaded by Daniel Abbott of the ‘Save the Buffalos of Crowland’ group, works were carried out today (April 29) to dig up the vehicles.
Sixteen of the amphibious Buffalo tanks were used to help seal the breach. - Credit: © Terry Harris
The group then plans to use them to create a commemoration of the post-war disaster when the town's flood defences were breached.
The Landing Vehicle Tracked-4 vehicle, which weighs 18,000kg, has been underground for 74 years and took volunteers five days to dig it up.
The 26-foot-long Buffalo tank is extracted from the earth in Crowland, Lincolnshire. - Credit: © Terry Harris
“We have permission from the Ministry of Defence, also the Environment Agency, and a letter from the Queen and John Hayes, MP for South Holland and the Deepings,” said Mr Abbott.
The excavation has been organised by a local group who are planning to use the unearthed tanks create a permanent memorial to the floods that happened in the area in 1947. - Credit: © Terry Harris
Experts say the 1947 floods were “a catastrophic combination of high tides, meltwater and a wind surge”, causing a breach in flood defences.
It has been buried for 74 years since it was brought into the village to help during heavy floods in March 1947. - Credit: © Terry Harris
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The cost of permanently sealing defences was around £100,000, around £3 million in today’s money.
The works, carried out by over 200 men, was undertaken by the Dredging and Construction Co of King’s Lynn, now Visser & Smit Hanab.
