Title: Beneath Flanders fields : the tunnellers' war, 1914-1918 /
Authors: Barton, Peter, 1955-; Doyle, Peter, 1960-; Vandewalle, Johan
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press,
Year: 2005
Subjects: World War, 1914-1918 Engineering and construction.; World War, 1914-1918 Tunnel warfare Belgium.; World War, 1914-1918 Campaigns Belgium; World War, 1914-1918 Western Front.; Tunneling Belgium History; World War, 1914-1918 Belgium Engineering and construction.; World War, 1914-1918 Campaigns Western Front
Abstract: "The product of over twenty-five years of research, Beneath Flanders Fields illustrates the evolution of military mining, leading to its deployment in the greatest siege in military history - in the trenches of the Western Front." "In the words of the tunnellers themselves, and through previously unpublished photographs - many in colour - as well as contemporary plans and drawings, this book reveals how this most intense of battles was fought - and won. Few on the surface knew the horrific details of the tunnellers' work, yet this silent, claustrophobic conflict was a barbaric struggle that raged day and night for almost two and a half years, and one which generated mental and physical stresses often far beyond those suffered by the infantry in the trenches. On 7 June 1917 at Messines Ridge, the tension was broken with the opening of the most dramatic mine offensive in history."--Jacket.