- 208 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
A military history of a group of British miners who dug attacking tunnels under enemy lines during World War I.
Undermining the positions of the enemy is one of the most ancient activities. For almost 3000 years even before 1914, it was a popular siege-breaking technique. During the Great War, arguably the greatest siege the world had ever seen, it presented a conflict environment that perfectly favoured the skills of the military miner. During 1915, the Western Front was established as a static line that grew into a huge network of defence-in-depth earthworks. Siege conditions demanded siege tactics and as the ground was everywhere mineable, the Western Front was a prime candidate for underground warfare.
Royal Engineer tunnelling companies were specialist units of the Corps of Royal Engineers within the British Army, formed to dig attacking tunnels under enemy lines during the First World War. The Cornish Miners were one of these specialist units recruited from the tin mines of Cornwall.
In February 1915, eight Tunnelling Companies were created and operational in Flanders from March 1915. By mid-1916, the British Army had around 25,000 trained tunnellers, mostly volunteers taken from mining communities. This is their story.
Winner of the Best History and Non-fiction Award at the Holyer Annual Gof awards
Undermining the positions of the enemy is one of the most ancient activities. For almost 3000 years even before 1914, it was a popular siege-breaking technique. During the Great War, arguably the greatest siege the world had ever seen, it presented a conflict environment that perfectly favoured the skills of the military miner. During 1915, the Western Front was established as a static line that grew into a huge network of defence-in-depth earthworks. Siege conditions demanded siege tactics and as the ground was everywhere mineable, the Western Front was a prime candidate for underground warfare.
Royal Engineer tunnelling companies were specialist units of the Corps of Royal Engineers within the British Army, formed to dig attacking tunnels under enemy lines during the First World War. The Cornish Miners were one of these specialist units recruited from the tin mines of Cornwall.
In February 1915, eight Tunnelling Companies were created and operational in Flanders from March 1915. By mid-1916, the British Army had around 25,000 trained tunnellers, mostly volunteers taken from mining communities. This is their story.
Winner of the Best History and Non-fiction Award at the Holyer Annual Gof awards
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Yes, you can access Battle Beneath the Trenches by Robert Johns in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & British History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- List of Sketch Maps
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter 1. Cornwall: Land of Tin.
- Chapter 2. Preparations for Mine Warfare: 1914
- Chapter 3. The Formation of 251 Tunnelling Company
- Chapter 4. The Life of a Tunneller on the Western Front
- Chapter 5. Béthune – ‘Home’ on the Western Front
- Chapter 6. Operational Changes
- Chapter 7. ‘Cat and Mouse’ Underground, 1916
- Chapter 8. Move to the Givenchy Sector, 1917
- Chapter 9. ‘Stood to Arms’, 1918
- Chapter 10. Stemming the Tide, 1918: Building New Defences
- Chapter 11. The Tide Turns: The Advance to Victory
- Chapter 12. ‘One and All’: A Basis For Success
- Chapter 13. A Return to the Front
- Chapter 14. A Land Fit For Heroes? The Tin Mines Close
- Chapter 15. Tunnellers: Hearts of Lions, Nerves of Steel
- Appendix 1. Officers of 251 Tunnelling Company
- Appendix 2. List of Cornishmen in the Tunnelling Companies
- Appendix 3. In Remembrance
- Appendix 4. Other Cornish miners on the Western Front
- Bibliography
- Measures cross reference