The Tunnelers of WW1
Summary
TLDRThis video script delves into the harrowing underground battles of World War I, where tunnel warfare played a critical role. Over 4,800 kilometers of tunnels were constructed with the aim of undermining enemy trenches and planting explosives. The work was perilous, involving constant vigilance against enemy tunnelers and the challenges of poor air quality and potential collapse. The script highlights the expertise of 'clay kickers' or 'moles' who brought their tunneling skills to the war effort, and references two films, 'The War Below' and 'Beneath Hill 60', that depict the Battle of Messines, a significant event in tunnel warfare history.
Takeaways
- 🌍 World War One was marked by brutal trench warfare and a hidden, underground conflict involving extensive tunnel systems.
- 💥 The primary goal of tunnel warfare was to plant large amounts of explosives beneath enemy trenches to cause massive destruction.
- 🔍 Tunnelers engaged in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, digging interception and listening tunnels to detect and counter enemy tunneling efforts.
- 📉 The advantage in tunnel warfare was to be beneath the enemy, allowing for the sabotage of enemy tunnels and the strategic placement of explosives.
- 👷 Tunnel systems were labor-intensive, with hundreds of men working on them at any given time, digging slowly and cautiously to avoid detection.
- 🚫 Evacuating large teams of tunnelers in case of a collapse was nearly impossible, highlighting the extreme risks involved in this type of warfare.
- 🌪️ Working conditions were treacherous, with concerns over air quality, the risk of flooding, and the constant threat of cave-ins.
- 🐦 Canaries and other methods were used to test air quality, while tunnelers also had to contend with the psychological strain of working in such confined spaces.
- 🔨 The first Allied professionals in tunneling were experienced sewer workers, known as 'clay kickers' or 'moles,' who brought their expertise to the war effort.
- 🎥 Two significant films, 'The War Below' and 'Beneath Hill 60,' depict the intense and anxiety-inducing nature of underground warfare during World War One.
- 🎉 The Battle of Messines in 1917 was a pivotal moment, where over 454 tons of explosives were detonated, resulting in the largest man-made explosion at the time and causing the immediate death of thousands of Germans.
Q & A
What was the primary objective of the tunnelers during World War One?
-The primary objective of the tunnelers was to place hundreds of thousands of kilograms of explosives underneath the enemy's trenches to cause massive destruction.
How long were the trenches during World War One, and how did the tunnels relate to them?
-The trenches ran approximately 750 kilometers from the North Sea to the Swiss Alps, and there were 4,800 kilometers worth of tunnels that crossed into No Man's Land.
What was the significance of being below the enemy in tunnel warfare?
-Being below the enemy was advantageous because it allowed tunnelers to lay explosives under enemy tunnels, collapse them, and occupy them.
How did tunnelers minimize noise while digging?
-Tunnelers would slowly push their shovels with their feet in front of them to make the least amount of noise possible while digging.
What were the challenges tunnelers faced in terms of evacuation and air quality?
-Evacuating large teams of men all at once was nearly impossible, and they had to worry about air quality, using canaries and water tests to ensure it was safe to breathe.
What was the role of canaries in the tunnels?
-Canaries were used as a traditional way to test the air quality in the tunnels, as they were sensitive to toxic gases.
How did tunnelers deal with the risk of flooding in the mines?
-Tunnelers had to be prepared for the risk of mines flooding, which could make working conditions horrible and potentially deadly.
What was the significance of the Battle of Messines in 1917?
-The Battle of Messines was significant because it involved the largest man-made explosion at the time, which instantly killed ten thousand Germans and allowed the Allies to advance.
Which two films depict the tunnel warfare during World War One?
-The two films that depict the tunnel warfare are 'The War Below' from 2021 and 'Beneath Hill 60' from 2010.
What was the role of the men from Manchester's sewer system in the war?
-The men from Manchester's sewer system, known as 'clay kickers' or 'moles', brought their expertise in tunneling to the Royal Engineers and were sent to the front with minimal military training.
What was the impact of tunnel warfare on the landscape of No Man's Land?
-Tunnel warfare altered the very landscape of No Man's Land, forcing trenches to be wider and creating a complex underground battlefield.
Outlines
💥 The Brutal Reality of Tunnel Warfare in WWI
This paragraph delves into the harrowing conditions of tunnel warfare during World War One, highlighting the strategic and dangerous nature of the conflict that took place beneath the trenches. It discusses the extensive network of tunnels that spanned hundreds of kilometers, with the primary objective of placing large amounts of explosives beneath enemy lines. The process of tunneling was fraught with peril, as tunnelers engaged in a subterranean battle of wits and survival, digging interception and listening tunnels to counter enemy efforts. The physical and psychological toll on the men was immense, with the constant threat of tunnel collapse, poor air quality, and the need for stealth to avoid detection. The paragraph also touches on the use of canaries and water as life-saving tools to detect air quality and the presence of water, respectively. The narrative underscores the bravery and ingenuity of the tunnelers, who often worked in treacherous conditions and were instrumental in shaping the landscape of warfare during this period.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Tunnelers
💡Trenches
💡No Man's Land
💡Explosives
💡Clay Kickers
💡Listening Tunnels
💡Battle of Messine
💡Psychological Warfare
💡Geophone
💡The War Below
Highlights
World War One was the bloodiest siege war in human history, with significant suffering in the trenches.
A brutal underground war took place alongside the surface conflict, with thousands of kilometers of tunnels dug into no man's land.
The primary objective of tunnel warfare was to place explosives beneath enemy positions.
Tunnelers engaged in a dangerous game of undermining and intercepting enemy tunnels.
Tunnel systems could have hundreds of men working simultaneously, digging slowly and cautiously to avoid detection.
Evacuating large teams of men from a collapsed tunnel was nearly impossible, highlighting the extreme risks involved.
Air quality and the use of canaries were critical for tunnelers to detect poisonous gases.
Water was a constant threat, as mines could flood, making working conditions treacherous.
Tunnelers were appreciated for digging wells for drinking water, a vital contribution to the troops above.
Listening posts were manned by men who sat in silence, listening for enemy activity, a psychologically taxing task.
Geophones and simple methods like water in a biscuit tin were used to detect nearby enemy digging.
As the war progressed, mining operations became more complex and played a crucial role in the conflict.
The first Allied professionals were sewer workers from Manchester, known as 'clay kickers' or 'moles', who brought their expertise to the front.
Many of these experienced miners were too old for army service but had invaluable decades of tunneling experience.
Pop culture, such as the character Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders, has brought attention to the horrors of tunnel warfare.
The British film 'The War Below' and the Australian 'Beneath Hill 60' both depict the Battle of Messines, showcasing the intensity of underground warfare.
The Battle of Messines saw the largest man-made explosion at the time, instantly killing ten thousand Germans and allowing the Allies to advance.
The film 'Beneath Hill 60' is noted for its focus on the slow, ever-present anxiety of waging war underground.
Transcripts
the tunnelers of world war one
world war one was the bloodiest siege
war in human history it was a war of
suffering in trenches waiting to go over
the top to be cut down by machine gun
fire but while this war was taking place
an arguably more brutal war was raging
deep and hidden below
trenches ran some 750 kilometers from
the north sea to the swiss alps but four
thousand eight hundred kilometers worth
of tunnels crossed down into no man's
land with one objective
to pack upwards to hundreds of thousands
of kilograms of explosives underneath
the enemy's feet
tunnel warfare wasn't as simple as
digging until you reached the enemy
trench it was extremely dangerous
tunnels waged war with each other
tunnelers dug interception tunnels and
listening tunnels to map enemy progress
they were constantly trying to undermine
each other each going lower and lower to
get underneath an enemy tunnel
as opposed to traditional warfare where
having the high ground was an advantage
tunnelers wanted to be under their enemy
they could then lay explosives under a
tunnel and collapse it killing them and
occupying it
tunnel systems could have hundreds of
men working on them at any one time
tunneling was done slowly and tediously
and the speed at which the tunnel was
dug slowed as it came closer to an enemy
position
men would slowly push their shovels with
their feet in front of them to make the
least amount of noise possible then bags
of earth would be slowly shuffled away
should the tunnel collapse evacuating
these large teams of men all at once was
nearly
christ is going to impossible
the walls
men had to further worry about air
quality canaries remain the traditional
way to test the air
water was another way to die mines could
flood and generally make working
conditions horrible though miners were
appreciated by the men above as they
further dug wells for drinking water
we're 90 feet down now
right below german lines
tunnelers had to battle their own
psychology listening posts were an
unpleasant position to man men would sit
for hours on end in dead silence in the
near dark listening for enemy digging or
movement and counter tunnels would be
plotted based on enemy noise
men might be aided by a geophone which
was tuned to hear seismic activity but
aids could be as simple as water in a
biscuit tin which would ripple if there
was digging nearby
you all know the trick
as the war progressed mining only
increased in complexity and importance
mines and tunnels altered the very
landscape of no man's land and forced
trenches wider
the first allied professionals to bring
their expertise to the royal engineers
were the men creating manchester's sewer
system they were dubbed clay kickers or
moles and inducted into the prestigious
royal engineers and immediately sent to
the front with minimal military training
their expertise in tunneling was enough
many of these men were too old for the
army but had decades of mining
experience starting from the age of 14.
in pop culture thomas shelby from peaky
blinders has brought the horrors of this
specialist role to life
and there are two significant
productions to watch that focus entirely
on the brutalness of this role
both the british film the war below from
2021 and the australian beneath hill 60
from 2010 cover the same battle the
battle of messine of 1917.
the allied defensive at missine was
dependent on thousands of british
canadian kiwi and australian miners who
laid over 454 tons of immortal explosive
on june 7 1917 the largest man-made
explosion the world had ever known was
felt as far away as dublin and instantly
killed ten thousand germans before the
allies advanced
both movies captured the intensity and
scale of the operation well
beneath hill 60 is the stronger of the
two films which gives focus on the slow
ever-present anxiety of waging war
underground
alright i'm johnny thanks for watching
this depressing but important brief on
the brave men who fought underground
during world war 1. as always if you
want to share any info on the subject
please do so in the comments section and
we'll see you in the next video
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