Some argue that the Battle of Messines was the most successful local operation of the war, certainly of the Western Front. Carried out by General Herbert Plumer's Second Army, it was launched on 7 June 1917 with the detonation of 19 underground mines underneath the German lines.
General Plumer had begun plans to take the Messines Ridge a year early in early-1916. Meticulous in manner, Plumer preferred to plan for limited successes rather than gamble all on a significant breakthrough.
In preparing for the Messines battle he had authorised the laying of 22 mine shafts underneath German lines all along the ridge, his plan being to detonate all 22 at zero hour at 03:10 on 7 June 1917, to be followed by infantry attacks so as to secure the ridge from the presumably dazed German defenders.
Work on laying the mines began some 18 months before zero hour.
In the face of active German counter-mining, 8,000 metres of tunnel were constructed under German lines. Occasionally the tunnellers would encounter German counterparts engaged in the same task: underground hand to hand fighting would ensure.
(Source: http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/messines.htm)
General Plumer had begun plans to take the Messines Ridge a year early in early-1916. Meticulous in manner, Plumer preferred to plan for limited successes rather than gamble all on a significant breakthrough.
In preparing for the Messines battle he had authorised the laying of 22 mine shafts underneath German lines all along the ridge, his plan being to detonate all 22 at zero hour at 03:10 on 7 June 1917, to be followed by infantry attacks so as to secure the ridge from the presumably dazed German defenders.
Work on laying the mines began some 18 months before zero hour.
In the face of active German counter-mining, 8,000 metres of tunnel were constructed under German lines. Occasionally the tunnellers would encounter German counterparts engaged in the same task: underground hand to hand fighting would ensure.
(Source: http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/messines.htm)
Heavy preliminary artillery bombardment of the German lines was begun on 21 May, involving 2,300 guns and 300 heavy mortars, ceasing at 02:50 on the morning of 7 June.
Silence prevailed for the following twenty minutes until, at 03:10, the order was given across the line to detonate the mines, which totalled 600 tons of explosive.
Silence prevailed for the following twenty minutes until, at 03:10, the order was given across the line to detonate the mines, which totalled 600 tons of explosive.
The blast blew the crest off the Messines-Wytschaete ridge, the sound was the loudest man-made explosion until that point and the impact on the German defenders was truly devastating. Some 10,000 men were killed during the explosion alone.
It was the 1st ATC below Hill 60 near Ypres that was in control of the sector involved with the Messines Plan.
Meanwhile, the 3rd ATC was operating below Hill 70 at the front at Loos. They were silently building the underground system down three levels, to a depth of 35 metres, listening, waiting, wiring.
(Source: http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/messines.htm)
It was the 1st ATC below Hill 60 near Ypres that was in control of the sector involved with the Messines Plan.
Meanwhile, the 3rd ATC was operating below Hill 70 at the front at Loos. They were silently building the underground system down three levels, to a depth of 35 metres, listening, waiting, wiring.
(Source: http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/messines.htm)