Excavators Chipped Away At A Concrete Block – And Unearthed This Startling Wartime Secret

It’s summer in the Norwegian town of Bardufoss, and a delicate operation is underway. Beneath a canopy of trees, a team of military engineers are chipping away at what appears to be a concrete tomb. But as they scratch the surface, they reveal a long-lost relic from World War II – and a startling story begins to unfold.

The Bardufoss Airbase

Allied and Axis forces bitterly fought in the skies above Europe during World War II, and the airfield at Bardufoss came to play a vital role in that struggle. But a secret remained hidden underground years after the guns fell silent. And in August 2007 excavators uncovered something that had been buried for decades.

Looking to the past

What exactly did the Norwegian Army’s Heavy Engineering Battalion find, then? Also, what can it tell us about the battles fought here during World War II and beyond? Well, the army staffers would soon unravel these mysteries and shine a light on the forgotten past.

A modern airport

Today, Bardufoss Air Station is a modern military facility and home to several squadrons of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Located in Troms og Finnmark – a county in the north of the country – it shares a site with a civilian airport of the same name. As a result, it’s a bustling place, with both helicopters and commercial airliners landing and taking off on a regular basis.

Unnoticed relics

Despite the business of Bardufoss Air Station, though, a number of World War II relics went unnoticed at the facility for decades. So, how did this happen? After all, the base has been in service since 1938, and its connection to the Allies’ fight against the Axis powers is well-documented.