The Legend of the Buried Harleys
Decades after American forces pulled out of Devon ahead of the Normandy landings in 1944, a persistent local legend claims they left behind more than memories. According to accounts carried by Devon Live and Plymouth Live, the troops allegedly concealed a remarkable collection of vintage motorcycles beneath South Devon soil. The story holds that immaculate Harley-Davidsons, packed in timber crates and coated in protective grease, lie dormant under the region's rolling countryside.
Local folklore maintains that hundreds of these machines are entombed close to Bovey Tracey, while several hundred more are believed to rest beneath agricultural land in the Kingsbridge vicinity. The Heathfield site, where eyewitnesses were said to be adamant the motorcycles were concealed, has since been transformed into an industrial park and residential area. The precise whereabouts of the alleged Kingsbridge burial remains unknown, as those who testified to observing it have since died.
Wartime Preparations and Evacuations
The legend is rooted in a period of intense military activity. Prior to D-Day, American military personnel maintained a substantial foothold across Devon, conducting exercises on coastal areas and promontories that bore striking similarities to the northern French seaboard. This preparation demanded extensive population movements; complete communities throughout the South Hams were cleared to make way for training.
Around 3,000 residents, together with their possessions, farm animals, and machinery, were moved from settlements such as Blackawton, Chillington, East Allington, Slapton, Stokenham, Strete, and Torcross. Jean Brooking of Stokenham recalled to the BBC People's War project in 2006: "I'm sure that when my father went home with the news, mother and all others must have been filled with horror and disbelief, looking at their surroundings and wondering 'For how long?' and 'Shall we ever come back again?'"
The land was requisitioned on 16 November 1943, with the evacuation completed by 20 December. The following day, electricity supplies were severed and police stations closed their doors. In total, 180 farms, village shops, schools, and homes were abandoned.
The Brooking family moved in with farming neighbours in Ashprington, a detail that underscores the personal upheaval. Mrs Brooking later received "splendid household gifts" from the Canadian and American Red Cross.
The Training Grounds and Exercise Tiger
The Devon coast became a vast training ground for the imminent invasion. Tor Bay was reportedly full of landing craft, as recounted by local artist Bill Stockman to the Herald Express, creating the impression that one might step from vessel to vessel between Torquay and Brixham with dry feet. The most tragic episode of this period was Exercise Tiger, which resulted in more than 700 men perishing in a single night.
The Harley WLA, the military's preferred motorcycle, was nicknamed the "Liberator" — adding a poignant note to the legend of buried machines that never saw combat.
The Search and Unverified Claims
Despite the allure of buried treasure, no definitive evidence has emerged. Regional newspapers, including the Herald Express, have published unverified assertions from local historians about buried treasure in South Devon, but none have been substantiated. A forum contributor, using the name Urbmark, offered a tantalising account on a motorcycle forum, claiming that near where they lived, a large industrial estate called Heathfield was "well documented" as a dumping ground before the invasions. They wrote: "Included in the burial where literally dozens of new Harleys still in their crates. A few years back, before phase two of the estate was built, a large dig took place to try and locate the buried dump, but alas nothing was found." The contributor also recalled a late friend who discovered a Jeep dumped on another site, restored it, and won prizes at vintage rallies — a story that adds colour but no confirmation.
One notable recovery did occur elsewhere: a Sherman tank at Torcross was recovered from the seabed in the early 1980s by Ken Small, and it now serves as a memorial. Commemorative services are held beside it every Remembrance Sunday and on June 6.
Aftermath and Legacy
After the Americans withdrew, infrastructure was repaired and property owners were financially compensated for damage. The region slowly returned to civilian life, but the echoes of war remained. Bomb disposal squads swept the area and neutralised unexploded ordnance, yet shells and fragments of munitions still periodically emerge on South Devon's beaches and countryside.
The story of the lost Harleys endures as part of the folklore of wartime Devon. Whether the motorcycles are truly buried beneath the fields and factories remains an open question, but the tale continues to fascinate residents and visitors alike. As one account put it, the stories of concealed treasure troves beneath Devon's countryside will likely continue to intrigue for years to come.