Secret underground bunker discovered in France. Need help identifying these vehicles

[Eeshaan]

Secret Underground Bunker Is Full of World War Weapons and Military Vehicles

The world is full of hidden, forgotten treasures. Like this gigantic bunker excavated in a forest, buried in a secret location. It's full of weapons from the first World War, as well as modern military vehicles. And mushrooms.

It was discovered by urban explorers who, as usual, will not reveal its exact location.

The bunker—which is located somewhere in France—was used during World War I and II. It contains all kinds of vintage weapons, from a German 77mm Model-1896 WW1 cannons to tanks, armored vehicles and military trucks that are almost intact.

It's deeply underground, with gigantic caves excavated into the rock. There are plenty of barracks and office space as well.

Most recently, the bunker was used by the locals for the cultivation of mushrooms.

OK this is very strange.

This underground bunker with World War 1 and 2-era weapons, as well as modern-era vehicles has been discovered. But what I'm wondering is, how on earth did modern ( at least Cold War era ) hardware find it's way inside a completely secluded bunker that holds intact relics from WW1 & 2 ?

If you look at the pictures, the vehicles except the Flatbed truck look alot more modern in design than anything I've seen in WW 1 & 2 pictures/info. Can anyone identify these vehicles, please ?

Also, does this report and it's pictures & info seem legit ? Or is it just a well-orchestrated hoax/prank ?

Thanks.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Also, does this report and it's pictures & info seem legit ? Or is it just a well-orchestrated hoax/prank ?

Thanks.

I'd say legit.

even in australia we've had such bunkers in place. In fact the City of Melb has over 120miles of underground tunnels which were mapped by Defence, National Archives staff and relevant city councils. the contractors came across weapons platforms caches (no EO though)

I've no doubt that any number of euro countries have similar bunkers in place.

usually the locals know about it but don't talk because they've been taking advantage of the use of the facilities etc....

 

[kato]

Legit?

The vehicles in the pics are (with a 99% chance) someone's private collection, especially since the tires are apparently less than 20 years old. The vehicles are all demilled too. Vehicle bottom left is an ERC with a demilled nonstandard turret (possibly an attempt to cobble together a mock HS 60-12 Mangouste or HS 60-20 Serval?).

And the "bunker" looks more like a 1950s- or 1960s-era mine to me. A rather small one.

 

[FormerDirtDart]

The frontal shot is of a Panhard ERC-90, the side photo is a Panhard VCR, both from the 1970's

 

[Tee_Centre_10]

Although the tunnels and caverns may be previously unrecorded (at least widely) and legitimate, I'd say the vehicles have been placed there to dress the scene for the photos or someone is storing their collection of military vehicles there.

First, they are in too good condition. The fabric of the tunnels has greatly deteriorated and is crumbling but the vehicles aren't significantly weathered or rusted and the tyres are all inflated?
And the tunnels/caverns are crumbling with debris everywhere, except on top of the vehicles?

Secondly, even the most incompetent of post-Cold War disposal regimes isn't going to remember to demilitarise such armoured vehicles, store them in a crumbling cavern system and then proceed to forget about them for twenty years.
Parked up in or behind some shed on a military base? Yes.
Left to languish for decades in a field/vehicle park? Yes.
Left behind at a contractor's premises after the contract to maintain/repair/upgrade the vehicle has ended/been cancelled/entered some some bureaucratic limbo? Yes.
Left behind in some random cave? I don't buy it. Why a cavern?

Thirdly, the truck looks like a common WW2-vintage GMC 2.5 ton medium truck. I think most militaries would have used some during or post-War, but I think it unlikely that it would have been in contemporary use with the other vehicles, a Panhard VCR (the APC, which I don't think was ever in French service) and ERC (the armoured car, which was in French service in modest numbers).
The VCR and ERC were made from the late 1970s/early 80s.

Given there is one truck, one APC and one AC, I'm thinking it's a private collection.

 

[kato]

Secondly, even the most incompetent of post-Cold War disposal regimes isn't going to remember to demilitarise such armoured vehicles, store them in a crumbling cavern system and then proceed to forget about them for twenty years.

Actually, that's what a lot of countries did. Switzerland for example uses the former underground air bases at Turtmann and Raron to store some 400 "deactivated" M113 and several dozen M109. Because the conservatives didn't want them disposed of ten years ago. Atmospheric conditions in the caverns are apparently bad enough that the tank are all covered in rust by now.

The frontal shot is of a Panhard ERC-90

Not a -90, wrong turret bustle.

 

[Eeshaan]

Thanks for the info there, guys.

There are a few more pictures of the bunker/tunnel in the link in the first post. TBH it does look quite huge. And yeah, the fact that a WWII-era vehicle and 2 1970s era vehicles are being kept in the same bunker and in very good condition does make it a bit suspicious lol.

 

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Bunkers in General

After avery major war, and after the end of the Cold War, forces are reduced, administrative staffs are reduced and instalaltions are closed. I suppose this was one of many Cold War facilites in France. Prior to France leaving NATO military structure, NATO governments in exile would relocate to complexes in France and later to the Iberian Peninsula (though Spain was not officially a member at the time, their were various bilatteral agreements and NATO always intented to withdraw to Spain, member or not). This could have been one of these facilites as it doesn't list on my listing of underground military complexes.

As for the vehicles; if it were a private collection, don't you think it odd someone would park them on government property? That's almost as good as forfeiting them. Could be vehicles put there in Reserve by the French military who forget about them afterwards (what happens a lot when the unit in question is disbanded for example). Similar things happened in Belgiums. The apst ten years, we re-discovered WW I, WWII and Cold War bunkers underneath Antwerp everybody had forgotten about; some still had ammunition piled in them. Guess the same happened here. Someone needed to get rid of vehicles (placed in reserve), couldn't find a spot and dropped them there: mission accomplished.