Private E.N. Gladden of 'B' Company, 11th Northumberland Fusiliers, was waiting in support of the main attack at Hill 60. Days before, he'd been working with the 1st ATC undertaking last minute preparations for the great mine attack that commenced the Battle of Messines.
This is his recollection of zero hour:
"...an enemy rocket began to mount towards the heavens. A voice behind cried 'Now!'. It was the hour, and that last enemy light never burst upon the day.
The ground began to rock and I felt my body carried up and down as by the waves on the sea. In front, the ground opened up and a large black mass was carried to the sky on pillars of fire, and there seemed to remain suspended for some seconds while the awful red glare lit up the surrounding resolution.
No sound came.
I had been expecting a noise from the mine so tremendous as to be unbearable. For a brief space all was silent, as though we had been too close to hear and the sound had leapt over us like some immense wave. A line of men rose from the ground a few yards in front and advanced towards the upheaval, their helmets silhouetted and bayonets glinting in the redness of the unearthly dawn.
I saw no more. We hurled ourselves back to the trench.
And then there was a tremendous roar and a tearing across the skies above us..."
(Source: Crumps and Camouflets: Australian Tunnelling Companies on the Western Front)
This is his recollection of zero hour:
"...an enemy rocket began to mount towards the heavens. A voice behind cried 'Now!'. It was the hour, and that last enemy light never burst upon the day.
The ground began to rock and I felt my body carried up and down as by the waves on the sea. In front, the ground opened up and a large black mass was carried to the sky on pillars of fire, and there seemed to remain suspended for some seconds while the awful red glare lit up the surrounding resolution.
No sound came.
I had been expecting a noise from the mine so tremendous as to be unbearable. For a brief space all was silent, as though we had been too close to hear and the sound had leapt over us like some immense wave. A line of men rose from the ground a few yards in front and advanced towards the upheaval, their helmets silhouetted and bayonets glinting in the redness of the unearthly dawn.
I saw no more. We hurled ourselves back to the trench.
And then there was a tremendous roar and a tearing across the skies above us..."
(Source: Crumps and Camouflets: Australian Tunnelling Companies on the Western Front)