WALKING out on Cotherstone Moor, Dave Middlemas and his long suffering wife, Alison, discovered the remains of a wrecked tank lying in a remote bog hidden from view by moorland tussocks.
It lies to the south of the Teesdale village of Cotherstone, and perhaps its nearest landmark is the Butter Stone – a natural stone where trade was carried out centuries ago in a time of plague, as Memories told earlier this year.
In the distance, appropriately perhaps, is a farm called Battle Hill.
Deeply intrigued, Dave, of Cockerton, began to investigate…
First of all, the Ministry of Defence to this day has rifle ranges at Battle Hill, and the Ordnance Survey map of the area is covered with “Danger Area” in red letters. But the OS map also shows how the “Danger Area” is criss-crossed with public footpaths, which can be closed if the range is being used.