WORK OF THE ROYAL ENGINEERS IN THE EUROPEAN WAR, 1914-19. ‘MILITARY MINING

Perhaps no aspect of the trenches on the Western Front in the Great War continus to excite more fascination than the ‘war underground’: the subterranean struggle of mine and counter-mine waged by both sides. This book, the official account of the mining work carried out and published by the Royal Enginners, goes into more depth – in both senses of the word – than any other available account. Profusely illustrated by scores of diagrams and photographs, it gives a full picture of military mining in 1914-18 both in theory and practice. Among the sectors examined where mining warfare was most intense were Hill 60 in the Ypres Salient, the Cuinchy brickstacks, in the industrial area around Givenchy; Vimy Ridge; the tunnels beneath Arras, where the engineers made use of existing ancient catacombs; the Somme, and, above all, perhaps, the 21 gigantic mines whose simultaneous explosion heralded the successful British offensive at Messines in June 1917. All are detailed in this book, which is divided into an historical account; mine rescue work – including photos and diagrams of captured German rescue and resuscitation equipment – and a technical section, giving information on laying a mine system, disposing of spoil, detecting enemy counter mines etc.. Quite simply, this book supplies the answers to all the questions that could be asked about the Great War underground. As such it is indispensible to all students of that conflict.