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.
Spearheaded by Daniel Abbott of the ‘Save the Buffalos of Crowland’ group, works were carried out today (April 29) to dig up the vehicles.
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.
“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.
Experts say the 1947 floods were “a catastrophic combination of high tides, meltwater and a wind surge”, causing a breach in flood defences.
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.
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