Live Tour: Messines Ridge – Undermining The Enemy – 1917

Description

At 03.10am on the morning of the 7 June 1917 the Messines Ridge exploded in a burst of flame. This was the largest man-made explosion to date and it signalled the launch of one of the most successful set-piece attacks of the First World War.

That explosion could not have happened without the extraordinary feats undertaken by both Australian and British tunnelling engineers, nor could the attack have been the success that it was without the joint effort of both engineers and infantry. The assault itself was to be led by British, Australian and New Zealand troops under Command of General Plumer’s 2nd Army stationed on the southern edge of the infamous Ypres salient.

This virtual tour covers the incredible story of the battle but also delves into the work both above and below ground conducted by the engineers whose role was so crucial at Messines.