When the royal engineers formed the tunnelling companies, william enlisted, leaving his numerous offspring behind. The battle of messines was also the peak of mine warfare in wwi. The units active around vimy were the 172nd, 175th, 176th, 182nd, 184th, 185th and 255th tunnelling companies. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war this section of the long, long trail will be helpful for anyone wishing to find out about the history of the units of the royal engineers. The story of the tunnelling companies, royal engineers, during the world war by grieve, w. The 170th tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. Even though tunnelling had been a feature of warfare since at least 850bc, the rise and prominence of trench warfare during the conflict led to rapid advances. 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 stalemate situation in the early part of the war led to the deployment of tunnel warfare. His name was james william mcgahan, a coalminer from manchester. On 10 september 1915, the british government sent an appeal to canada, south africa, australia and new zealand to raise tunnelling companies in the dominions of the british empire. Sadly photos of soldiers werent kept in their service records in the second world war. If you would like to send us a present, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
Media in category tunnelling companies of the royal engineers the following 8 files are in this category, out of 8 total. Royal engineers in the great war, the wartime memories project. From home front to battle front online exhibition the first world war drove many aspects of engineering on. The great war is very much the focus of the story and in particular the war beneath the western front involving the men who served in tunnelling companies of the royal engineers. The main article for this page is tunnelling companies of the royal engineers. Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers military. They designed and built the frontline fortifications, creating cover for the infantry and positions for the artillery. Jan 15, 20 while the royal engineers were skilled in the construction of saps, basic tunnelling and mining operations, no specialized units existed.
Men of 177 tunnelling company, royal engineers soldiers and. Austrlain tunnelling war diaries are online at the australian war memorial and i have parts of war diaries for some of the british tcs. The 254th tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. Both sides faced the need to break through the enemys defensive entrenched positions. The 177th tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. Tunnellers the first world war underground operation war.
Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers infogalactic. The book crumps and camouflets by damien finlayson has a roll of honour for the australian tunnelling companies and emlectrical and mechanical mining and boring company. Officers of 170 tunnelling company royal engineers at chatham in early january 1940, prior to departure for france. Men of 177 tunnelling company, royal engineers soldiers. Group unit photos survive randomly, they werent taken officially but by the units themselves. Tunnelling companies derbyshire territorials in the. Royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, 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. Royal engineers in the second world war 19391945 the. The novel tells the story of an officer who fights alongside a tunneller at messines and draws heavily on the experiences of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers. Check both companies by clicking the links to the left or enter the surname in the site search at the top right.
Oct 11, 20 as i understand it, whilst the tunnelling effort was in its formative stages in 1915, many miners from infantry units were used in brigade mining sections, many of these men then transferred to the newly forming tunnelling companies, royal engineers. The names are listed by company and by officer and other ranks. Men of 179th and 185th tunnelling companies simon jones. Tunnelling companies royal engineers in world war ii. Badge of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers. Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers wikipedia. Tunnelling companies derbyshire territorials in the great war. Ww1, royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, 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 tunnellers war the first mines laid by british tunnellers were detonated as early as april 1915 just a few weeks after the formation of the tunnelling companies at hill 60, near ypres. The royal australian engineers formed four mining units initially grouped into the australian mining corps for the british expeditionary force. After the first german empire attacks on monday, 21 december 1914, through shallow tunnels underneath no man. Beneath hill 60 a 2010 australian war film, directed by jeremy sims and written by david roach, tells the story of the 1st australian tunnelling company. Aug 11, 2014 the war that went on beneath their feet is often forgotten, although it has left some of the deepest scars on the old battlegrounds. Wwi royal engineers tunnelling companies wed aug 12, 2015 2.
Royal engineers in the second world war, the wartime memories project. The 257th tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. He concentrates on the struggle for ascendancy by the british tunnelling companies on the western front. If any member as a copy of the war diary for this period it would be most helpful. Royal engineers tunnellers soldiers and their units. I am trying to research further details for sapper joseph william newton, royal engineers, reg. The tunnellers were only required to complete a couple of weeks of training before proceeding to france. Tonight the long awaited dramatisation of sebastian faulks novel birdsong will be broadcast on bbc1. The 255th tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i.
Tunnelling companies in the great war tunnellers memorial. I am researching david barber who joined the dli pvt 379, moved to the royal engineers as a sapper 86411 and subsequently. The stalemate situation in the early part of the war led to the deployment of tunnel warfare. Tunnellers of the royal engineers had dug from 1500 feet from behind the british line to reach this strong point under the enemy trenches. Royal engineer practice mines being blown as part of a training exercise near chatham, kent in 1887. Royal engineer tunnelling companies were specialist units of the corps of royal engineers within the british army, formed to dig attacking tunnels under enemy. But his wideranging study also tells the story of the.
From the somme to the messines ridge, and all points in between, the presence of the royal engineers tunnelling companies can still be seen in the massive craters their mines left behind. Wwi royal engineers tunnelling companies who do you think. By a curious twist of fate, military mining against. George marsh 15th battalion aged 31 and a miner from belper. Eagar, the training of officers and men of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers in minerescue work on active service in france, transactions of the institute of mining engineers, 191920, vol. Royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, were specialist units of the corps of royal engineers within the british army, formed to dig attacking. He was a coal miner from burnhope in county durham, and survived the war living until 1950. The story of the tunnelling companies, royal engineers, during the world war. Tunnelling and the first world war spartacus educational. The four mining units formed by the royal australian engineers for the british expeditionary force departed australia for the united kingdom in february 1916, 5 became fully. The tunnelling units were occupied in offensive and defensive mining involving the placing and maintaining of mines under enemy lines, as well as other underground work such as the construction of deep dugouts for troop accommodation, the digging of subways. British commanders immediately set about organizing the first of several tunnelling companies specifically trained to dig tunnels and plant mines under enemy lines. The wartime memories project is run by volunteers and this website is funded by donations from our visitors.
Chief royal engineer royal school of military engineering sapper battle honours of the british and imperial armies bermuda volunteer engineers tunnelling companies of the royal engineers chatham, kent royal flying corps volunteer force royal engineers, columbia detachment richard clement moody board of ordnance vampire dugout royal albert hall henry young darracott. Today i attended my appointment at the royal engineers museum archives to look at the war diary for 251 tunnelling company, which edward served in during his active service in. Specialist in immersed tunnel design and construction since 1988, tec has delivered design and construction solutions to the majority of the worlds most challenging and innovative tunnelling projects. He also recruited from the mining communities back in britain to. Three australian tunnelling companies were formed by march 1916, resulting in 30 tunnelling companies of the royal engineers being available by the summer of 1916. Tunnellers the story of the tunnelling companies, royal engineers, during the world war. I bought this book as my greatgrandfather was a sergeant in the 251st tunneling company royal engineers. How can i find out which tunnelling company in the royal engineers in wwi my ancestor was in. Tunnellers the first world war underground operation. Transfer to the royal engineers tunnelling companies.
See more ideas about royal engineers, royal, world war i. I am looking for information on where the 171st tunnelling company, the royal engineers were situated during the month of april 1917. Tunnel engineering consultants tec is a leading expert in immersed tunnel design, construction and project management. The 171st tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. Here you will find a list of men who served with 179th and 185th tunnelling companies, royal engineers, during the first world war. The first three of these units were tunnelling companies, while the electrical mechanical boring and mining company was tasked with carrying out related repairs. Some are in the royal engineers archives at chatham but i have checked their online catalogue and cant find one for 179 tunnelling company. The 182nd tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. The institution of royal engineers, chatham, kent, 19251932. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. After the first german empire attacks on 21 december 1914, through shallow tunnels underneath no mans land. 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.
Hi simon, im desperately trying to find any photos of edwin rhodes who served in ww2 in the 179 tunnelling coy. The war that went on beneath their feet is often forgotten, although it has left some of the deepest scars on the old battlegrounds. Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers underground. Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers underground warfare. The tunnelling units were occupied in offensive and defensive mining involving the placing and maintaining of mines under enemy lines, as well as other underground work such as the construction of deep dugouts for troop accommodation, the digging of subways, saps a. As a newbie im not sure whether i have listed this properly, so please let me know if i should have listed it differently. Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers underground warfare the war on the western front bogged down into siege conditions by november 1914. Understand he joined one of the tunnelling company s in june 1915, aged 42. The tunnelling companies of the royal engineers progressively took over from the french between february and may 1916. The 1st of september 2019 is the wartime memories projects 20th birthday. The 173rd tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i.
The 250th tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. North midlanders killed with mining sections during offensive operations. Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers military wiki. The prewar british army had no specific organisation for carrying out sapping, mining and tunnelling operations, although most men of the royal engineers. He was born in 1904 and died in 1942 whilst serving in the war. The 1st canadian tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the canadian military engineers during world war i. The tunnelling units were occupied in offensive and defensive mining involving the placing and maintaining of mines under enemy lines, as well as other. Killed in action on 17th july 1915 with the 172 tunnelling company royal engineers. Wwi royal engineers tunnelling companies who do you. Tunnellers the story of the tunnelling companies, royal engineers. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war the. Sapper ezekiel parkes, 179th tunnelling company, killed in action 22nd november 1915.
The seventy feet deep crater destroyed german trenches and pillboxes and was the first of many successful mining operations over the next few years. The 251st tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. Companies of royal engineers, composed of specially selected british coal miners, worked in shifts around the clock digging tunnels towards the german line. Nortongriffiths combed the army for miners, mining engineers and geologists for his new tunnelling companies. When a tunnel was completed after several days of sweating labour, tons of explosive charges were stacked at the end and primed ready for firing.