Buzz
In periods of war, disorder frequently dominates, leading to bizarre and inexplicable occurrences. It’s hardly surprising that numerous historical puzzles trace their roots to the chaos of battlefields. Experts continue to investigate the items on this list, though many may remain unsolved indefinitely.
10. The Vanishing Soldier
On August 17, 1997, Guy Hever, a 20-year-old Israeli soldier, left an artillery base in the Golan Heights. After previous conflicts with his superiors, the military presumed he would return to his family home. However, he never did, and Guy Hever disappeared without a trace.
Over the subsequent years, extensive searches conducted by police, military forces, countless volunteers, and even remote-controlled robots failed to uncover any evidence of the vanished soldier. Even his rifle, which he carried that day and would not have decomposed, remains undiscovered.
Several intriguing sightings were reported. A psychologist observed a soldier walking near Katzrin just hours after Hever departed his base. Another individual claimed to have spotted an Israeli soldier near the Israel-Syria border on the same day. In 2005, a German traveler alleged encountering someone resembling Hever during an interrogation at a military facility in Aleppo.
Hever’s family has clung to the possibility that he might be held captive in Syria. However, skeptics question why Syria would secretly detain an ordinary Israeli infantryman for nearly 20 years without issuing any demands. Hever’s family has also heavily criticized the Israeli government, accusing them of showing little interest in locating their son. As of 2014, Guy Hever’s disappearance remains an unsolved enigma.
9. The Demise of Dag Hammarskjold
On September 17, 1961, a plane crash in what is now Zambia claimed the life of UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold. While officially deemed an accident, the event has become one of the Cold War’s most persistent mysteries.
Speculation has long suggested that the aircraft was targeted by forces opposed to Hammarskjold’s assertive peacekeeping initiatives in the Congo. Numerous unanswered questions linger about the crash. Despite occurring just miles from the airport, it took 15 hours to locate the wreckage, with Rhodesian officials accused of intentionally delaying the search. Hammarskjold’s bodyguard, who survived briefly, mentioned an explosion on the plane. Witnesses reported bright flashes and sparks, with some alleging they saw a second plane attacking Hammarskjold’s aircraft.
Hammarskjold had alienated the US, Britain, Belgium, and the Soviet Union due to his backing of the Congolese government. However, his widespread support among smaller UN member nations made his reelection as Secretary General nearly certain.
In 2011, the release of the book Who Killed Hammarskjold? reignited conspiracy theories. The book featured testimony from Commander Charles Southall, who asserted he intercepted a communication from a second plane, where an unidentified pilot stated: “I’ve hit it. There are flames. It’s going down. It’s crashing.”
The UN continues to investigate the details surrounding Hammarskjold’s death.
8. The Fatalities of the Kinmel Camp Uprising
In the aftermath of World War I, 85 Canadian soldiers were laid to rest in Bodelwyddan, Wales. While many succumbed to the devastating Spanish flu pandemic, five soldiers perished during the Kinmel Camp riots in March 1919. The identities of their killers and the exact circumstances of their deaths remain shrouded in mystery. Corporal Joseph Young’s gravestone bears the poignant inscription: “Someday, sometime, we’ll understand.”
The unrest began on March 4 and continued for two days. Approximately 17,000 Canadian troops were stranded at the camp, awaiting repatriation. As the harsh winter dragged on, delays increased, and living conditions worsened, tensions escalated. The soldiers’ frustration peaked when they learned that the ships meant for their return were instead transporting American troops who had not seen combat, sparking the riot.
Groups of soldiers stormed their officers’ quarters and ransacked nearby stores. They released imprisoned comrades and raised a red flag. Once order was restored, the bodies of five soldiers were found. The coroner concluded they had been killed by unknown assailants, but no thorough investigation was ever conducted.
7. Mass Burial Sites in Poland
Radoslaw Gajc, a construction worker from the peaceful Polish town of Malbork, was preparing to build a new hotel in 2009 when an unexpected discovery halted the project. They unearthed human remains—specifically, children’s bones—in a mass grave.
Following the discovery of the children’s remains, adult skeletons were also excavated. By the end of the year, over 1,800 sets of remains had been uncovered. The victims, all stripped of clothing, had been dumped into the grave toward the end of World War II. The exact cause of their deaths remains unknown.
Some theories suggest the victims may have perished during a post-war typhus outbreak, with the mass grave serving as the only means of disposal. However, bullet holes found in some skulls complicate this explanation. Malbork witnessed extreme violence as its German population fled the advancing Red Army. By the war’s end, the town’s German residents had disappeared entirely.
Earlier, in 1996, the remains of 178 individuals were discovered on the grounds of Malbork Castle. In 2005, an additional 123 bodies were uncovered in what was once a wartime trench.
6. The Enigmatic Shipwreck
The German torpedo boat V81 participated in the Battle of Jutland during World War I. In 1919, it was among the German fleet scuttled at Scapa Flow. Although it was later salvaged, it ran aground in 1921. After being raised once more, it was sold for scrap in 1937—at least according to official records.
However, in 1985, divers discovered a sunken torpedo boat off the coast of Caithness. It wasn’t until 2006 that members of the Caithness Diving Club attempted a detailed examination of the wreck. They concluded it was likely the V81, capturing photographs and documenting features such as a turbine, gearbox, and brass fittings.
A further hint about the wreck’s identity came from a handwritten note by a police officer, detailing a German warship encountering trouble on February 13, 1920.
However, no mention of the warship appeared in contemporary newspapers. It’s possible that a media blackout was imposed to deter illegal salvage attempts. The ultimate fate of the V81 remains unresolved.
5. The Vanished Private
John M. Cain, a Virginia native, joined the 543rd Engineers Service Battalion as a private in August 1918. After being discharged in July 1919, he was said to have died in November 1928. His mother, Adeline Howard, asserted that he was laid to rest in Lincoln Cemetery.
The mystery surrounding Private Cain extends beyond his gravestone. The cause of his death and his brief military service of less than a year remain unknown. Many World War I resources fail to even reference the 543rd Engineers Service Battalion. Despite his mother’s assertion, no burial record for Cain exists in Lincoln Cemetery.
4. The Deadly Double
On November 22, 1941, the New Yorker magazine featured two ads for a dice game titled “The Deadly Double.” While the ads seemed unusual, they initially drew little attention. The first ad, near the magazine’s front, showed two dice with the heading: “Achtung! Warning! Alerte!” One die displayed the numbers 0, 5, and 7, while the other showed 12, 24, and the Roman numeral XX. The ad continued on page 86, depicting people in a bunker and describing the game as ideal for air raid shelters. The ad concluded with a stylized double-headed eagle.
Two weeks later, after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and the US entry into the war, the FBI took a keen interest in the ad.
The FBI theorized that the ad might have been a covert message from the Japanese or their allies, alerting American operatives of an impending attack. The numbers 12 and 7, prominently displayed, could have hinted at the attack date—December 7. Other numbers and the Roman numeral XX (or possibly a double-cross symbol) were thought to be part of a hidden code identifying the ad’s creator.
The larger ad on page 86 garnered significant attention, featuring an illustration resembling three bomber planes flying over the ocean toward a target. The image included searchlights and an explosion. The title “The Deadly Double” was interpreted as a reference to Nazi Germany and Japan, while the eagle bore a striking resemblance to the emblem of Hitler’s Third Reich.
The FBI traced the ad to the Monarch Trading Company in Chicago, which appeared to have orchestrated it. The company, short-lived and possibly a “front,” was linked to an official who designed the ad plates. This individual reportedly died under mysterious circumstances just weeks later.
3. The Enigmatic Case of Pete Ellis
Lieutenant Colonel Pete Ellis foresaw the Pearl Harbor attack two decades before it occurred. Shortly after, he vanished without a trace.
In July 1920, Ellis was based at Marine Corps headquarters in Washington. Known for his reclusive nature, he spent most of his time behind a “No Admittance” sign in his office. Night guards noted that his office lights remained on until the early hours. When questioned about his work, Ellis vaguely referred to it as a “special project.”
After nearly a year, Ellis unveiled his “special project”—a 30,000-word report outlining a surprise assault on the US and the ensuing conflict between Japan and the United States.
Ellis identified key Pacific islands Japan would target, such as Hawaii, the Philippines, Midway, Guam, and Wake. His strategy included the US capturing the Marshall and Caroline Islands to establish bases for a counteroffensive in the Philippines. He also highlighted the Mariana and Bonin Islands as crucial for launching an attack on Japan.
Ellis even predicted the pivotal role of aircraft in a Pacific war, including the development of torpedo bombers, which would later prove devastating in the Pearl Harbor attack.
Following a short illness, Ellis requested a 90-day leave, claiming he wanted to travel to Europe. Surprisingly, the Secretary of the Navy personally approved his request. Even more peculiar, Ellis visited the Commandant of the Marine Corps before departing. The Commandant’s secretary observed Ellis handing over a sealed envelope before hastily leaving.
Ellis seemingly never reached Europe. After 90 days, his leave was inexplicably extended indefinitely. A year later, sporadic messages from him surfaced, sent from hospitals in Australia and the Philippines. In Japan, a man claiming to be Ellis was treated for nephritis and alcohol poisoning.
On October 4, 1922, Ellis vanished from his hospital bed in Yokohama, Japan. Months later, reports surfaced of an American named Ellis who had died on Koror Island, now part of Palau. The reports mentioned Japanese efforts to restrict foreign access to certain areas, suggesting they had tried to block his movements.
Lawrence Zembsch, a pharmacist, was assigned to retrieve Ellis’ ashes from Koror. Upon returning to Yokohama, Zembsch was found in a near-catatonic state, with evidence of heavy drugging. After two weeks of recovery, he was finally able to speak. Tragically, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 struck that day, destroying the hospital and killing Zembsch.
The truth behind the mystery likely perished with Zembsch. The cause of Ellis’s death and Zembsch’s condition upon returning from Koror remain unknown. Many suspect Japanese authorities killed Ellis upon discovering his identity. Others argue his alcoholism led to his demise. A Koror acquaintance insisted he died from excessive drinking. To this day, the enigma of Pete Ellis’s life and death remains unresolved.
2. The Enigmatic Keepsake
In August 1943, during a brutal battle on Bougainville Island near New Guinea, a US marine stumbled upon the body of a fallen Japanese soldier. Curious, he searched for mementos and was astonished to find a newspaper clipping and a photo of an American girl. The clipping identified her as an 18-year-old from St. Petersburg, Florida, preparing for a beauty contest. Being from the same city, the marine kept the clipping and photo as he left the island.
Two years later, Wanda Wilson, a young woman living in St. Petersburg, was approached by a stranger at her parents’ home. Wanda worked at Florida Power, dabbled in modeling, and was romantically involved with a coworker.
Marine corporal Robert Goddard revealed the photo he had discovered in the Japanese soldier’s pocket. Wanda was stunned as she recognized herself in the image, which had been published in the St. Petersburg Times in March 1942. How the photo and clipping ended up with a Japanese soldier halfway across the globe, over a year later, remains a mystery.
Even if the Japanese soldier had taken the photo from an American soldier’s body, as Goddard did, the identity of that American soldier remains unknown. Wanda could not identify any of the names or photos of American soldiers who had died on the island.
1. The Kruger Millions
In 1900, during the height of the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, Lord Alfred Milner was organizing an assault on Pretoria, the capital of the Boer Transvaal Republic.
Paul Kruger, the republic’s president, recognized the overwhelming strength of Milner’s forces and began discreetly planning his escape. On June 4, Kruger and his cabinet boarded a train to Machadodorp in the Lowveld under cover of darkness. They converted train compartments into offices and living quarters, intending to remain hidden until they could safely cross into Mozambique. Eventually, they made their way to Europe.
Legend has it that Kruger carried a substantial hoard of gold bars and coins during his journey to the Lowveld. His timing was impeccable—Milner’s forces seized Pretoria on June 5. Initial inquiries revealed that at least £800,000 worth of gold had disappeared from the capital. Later estimates suggested that up to £1.5 million—an astronomical amount at the time—had gone missing.
Some believe Kruger used part of the gold during the war and took the remainder to Europe. However, many South Africans are convinced that a portion of the gold remains hidden in the Lowveld, sparking ongoing treasure hunts. In 2001, rumors swirled when locals claimed to have discovered 4,000 gold coins, though this was never verified. The quest for the lost gold continues, with many hopeful of uncovering the elusive treasure.
