Who dug the mines at Messines?

In reality, companies of British, Canadian and Australian tunnelers had successfully dug and armed 22 separate mine shafts beneath the Messines Ridge, each packed with tens of thousands of pounds of ammonal, a highly explosive combination of ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder.

When were mines blown at Messines Ridge?

7 June –
19 mines were detonated Tunneling work beneath the Messines Ridge began in 1916. At zero hour – 3.10am on 7 June – 19 mines were detonated beneath the German positions in an explosion that could be heard in London. Thousands of German defenders were killed or wounded and many more were psychologically shaken.

How many died at Messines Ridge?

With the Messines Ridge in British hands, the focus of attention now moved to the breakout from the Ypres salient. Losses: British, 17,000 casualties of 216,000; German, 25,000 of 126,000.

What happened at the battle of Messines Ridge?

The battle began with the detonation of nineteen mines beneath the German front position, which devastated it and left large craters….Battle of Messines (1917)

Date	7–14 June 1917
Location	Messines (now Mesen), West Flanders, Belgium 50°45′45″N 02°53′43″E
Result	British victory
Territorial changes	Messines–Wytschaete Ridge re-captured

How many Germans were killed at Messines?

10,000 German troops
German trench destroyed by the explosion of a mine in the Battle of Messines. Approximately 10,000 German troops were killed when the mines were simultaneously detonated at 3.10 a.m. on 7 June 1917.

How many Australian soldiers died in the battle of Messines?

Regarded a triumph, Messines also marked the first major battle for the 3rd Australian Division under Major General John Monash. Two of his men, Private John Carroll and Captain Robert Grieve, won the Victoria Cross during the fighting. Despite the success, the battle cost 6,000 Australian casualties.

Did miners dig tunnels in ww1?

On the Western Front during the First World War, the military employed specialist miners to dig tunnels under No Man’s Land. The main objective was to place mines beneath enemy defensive positions. When it was detonated, the explosion would destroy that section of the trench.

Where did all the rubble from ww2 go?

The ships offloaded the rubble in Manhattan, in the East River, and New York built on top of it, creating reclaimed land just east of Bellevue Hospital between 23th and 34th Streets.

Why are Tunnelers so respected?

They have earned the thanks of the whole Army for their contributions to the defeat of the enemy. Their fighting spirit and technical efficiency has enhanced the reputation of the whole Corps of Royal Engineers.