How Did Soldiers Secretly Dig Beneath the Enemy at Messines?
At Messines in 1917, British soldiers spent a year digging secret tunnels under the German lines. They filled these tunnels with millions of pounds of explosives. When they blew them up, it caused one of the biggest man-made explosions in history, which completely destroyed the German positions before the main attack.
Quick Facts
- Miners dug deep tunnels
- Explosives were used
- The sound was heard far away
- German lines were destroyed
- It was a total surprise
Countries Involved
Historical Context
The Great War had turned into a long and sad standoff by 1917. Millions of soldiers sat in deep dirt ditches called trenches. Neither side could move forward for very long. The Germans held a high ridge near the town of Messines in Belgium. This high ground gave them a great view of the British troops below. The British generals wanted to take this ridge to stop the German attacks. They spent many months planning a secret way to win. They knew they needed a special trick to break the heavy German defenses.
What Happened?
The British army brought in skilled miners from coal mines across England. These men dug long tunnels deep under the wet ground. They worked for over a year to reach the German lines. They walked silently in the dark tunnels to stay hidden from the enemy. Once they were deep under the ridge, they moved in huge amounts of explosives. They placed these bombs in nineteen secret chambers under the ground. On the morning of June 7, 1917, the soldiers finally got the order. They pushed the buttons to set off the giant bombs all at once. The entire ground shook like a massive earthquake across the region. People miles away heard the loud blast as the earth blew upward. Huge fires lit the sky and the German ridge collapsed into ruins. Thousands of British soldiers then marched quickly across the broken field. They moved so fast that the German army could not stop them. The British captured the ridge in just a few short hours that morning. This was one of the most successful attacks of the entire war.
Why Did It Matter?
It was a major tactical win that proved tunnels could be used to break enemy lines. It also boosted the morale of the Allied troops.
Forces and Units Involved
Frequently Asked Questions
1How loud was the explosion caused by the mines at the Battle of Messines?
2Why did the soldiers spend so much time digging tunnels under the enemy?
3Who was chosen to perform the dangerous work of digging these deep mines?
4Did the German soldiers realize the British were digging under them?
5How deep were the tunnels that the soldiers dug into the ground?
6Exactly how many mines were planted beneath the ridge to be exploded?
7Did every single mine explode exactly when the soldiers planned?
8What exactly was the Western Front during the First World War?
9Was it dangerous for the soldiers to dig these tunnels for the army?
10Did the secret mines help the British army win the battle quickly?
Historical Sources
At the Battle of Messines in June 1917, British miners had spent a year digging tunnels beneath the German lines. They packed the tunnels with millions of pounds of explosives. When the mines were blown, the explosion was so huge it was heard in London. The blast destroyed the German positions.
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