covenanter recovery

a couple of years ago i'd heard of a covenanter buried at denbies vineyard in dorking but did nothing about it until january this year when i hired a proton magnetometer and went down with my mini digger to have a shufti. i had a very good idea where the tanks was due to a friend having done his own mag survey 12 years ago. anyway we ascertained the position and started digging. after half an hour we found it.
after a bit of faffing between the vineyard and various media types we finally got a date and did the dig on tuesday.

 

Well done Rick. Should polish up a treat! Any idea how it got there?.....one not so very careful owner?

 

What are the plans for it, Rick ?

 

i read in the times yesterday how surrey archeologists found it and suggs from madness lead the recovery. (you couldn't make it up). the truth is a scruffy but dedicated builder from manchester found it and dug it up but maybe that won't sell any papers.
anyway there are rumours of more tanks buried, for now i will go back down next week and try and get it a bit more together and cleaned up, luckily i had a couple of spare covenanter turrets in the yard and will loan one to the vineyard

 

Well done Rick
good show


regards
Clive

 

i'm off back down again tonight to get it moved and tidied up a bit, i'll put up some pics when i return

 

look forward to the photos Rick

good luck


regards
Clive

 

everything went well and once cleaned the original paint and markings were found, the state of preservation was amazing, no doubt due to the nature of the the chalk/stone it was lying in.
unfortunately i can't upload the files as they are too large

 

Well done Rick

Re the photo size you can resize them
Plenty of free tools on the internet


Regards
Clive

 

Rick

That's fantastic. Any idea as to the Regiment etc - you do have the markings after all.

 

27 armoured brigade. we found what looks like a blue shield on the rear

 

Rick

I note you mention a TAC sign of 51 on another web site. If it's 27AB, then that could mean it's 13/18 Hussars?

 

yes i believe that is right but only because others have pretty much done all the chasing round for me. i'm great on tanks in the hands on sense but all the signs and history i leave to others with more brain cells to spare

 

Been to Denbies many times !!
A WW2 tank was dug up in Dorking and Suggs from Madness helped

 

you shouldn't believe everything you read in the media !

 

Will await the TV programme (although still media I guess)!!

 

when i find out the dates i'll let you know

 

Well done Rick keep it going mate

regards
Clive

 

I have been back to Dorking today and took a few photographs.