Bovington Tank Museum, Herman the German
The Bovington Tank Museum is located in Dorset, South West England. The Museum offers a fascinating look at the history of the tank and has the largest collection of tanks in the world. There are over 300 tanks from over 26 countries and it even includes a British World War I Mark I, the oldest surviving combat tank. With many of these tanks leftover from bloody battles, it is not too surprising that there are dark histories tied to many of them.
One of the most well-known stories of hauntings at the Bovington Tank Museum is the story of a ghost who has been dubbed “Herman the German.” Herman the German is said to haunt the Tiger 131 tank. The tank is a German Tiger I heavy tank that was captured by the British during World War II. It is the only operating Tiger in the world today. The story surrounding the haunted status of the tank claims that when it was first brought to the museum the body of a German soldier was found inside.
Now every night there are rumors of a bloody, ghostly hand reaching out from the turret and the sound of screams coming from within the tank. Numerous workers and guests to the museum have reported seeing a man wearing a German WW2 uniform walking around the tank. The sightings became so common on the museum floor that the ghost was given the name of “Herman the German.” It is believed that he was a former occupant of the tank and may have lost his life inside.
There is another explanation to the story. It may have been made up by the museum curators in order to keep teens and vandals from visiting the museum at night. Prior to the frequent reports of sightings, it was not usual for artifacts to disappear from the museum. However, even after the museum reported that “Herman the German” might have just been a story made up to protect the museum, the sightings continue. Even in other parts of the museum, people report seeing things move, hearing footsteps or feeling like they are being watched. Orbs, believed to be indicators of spirits, are common in photos taken at the museum.