Max Poilu Posted 2 November , 2004 Share Posted 2 November , 2004 I have ordered a copy but I now have to wait until Santa brings it...so much better when you buy the Christmas presents for other people to give you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco Posted 3 November , 2004 Share Posted 3 November , 2004 The book or the previous post from dugout? The book is excellent. Got one of those Amazon copies myself. I have read PILLARS OF FIRE - THE BATTLE OF MESSINES RIDGE JUNE 1917, just finished WAR UNDERGROUND – THE TUNNELLERS OF THE GREAT WAR am currently reading BENEATH FLANDERS FIELDS – THE TUNNELLERS’ WAR 1914-1918 and will then start reading TUNNEL-MASTER & ARSONIST OF THE GREAT WAR – THE NORTON-GRIFFITHS STORY. I trust something should stick in my mind regarding tunneling Regards, Marco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbarchetta Posted 3 November , 2004 Share Posted 3 November , 2004 My copy arrived today - didn't realise it was such a large book - feel almost guilty having paid only £17 for it really ! Also ordered the Salonika book, which looks pretty good, and 'To the Last Ridge' by Downing... Ah, that 'to be read' pile just keeps on growin' !!!... Books - you gotta luv 'em !! Thanks to the posters above for drawing my attention to this one ! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 3 November , 2004 Share Posted 3 November , 2004 Thanks for the reviews. I've just ordered my copy, too. Regards, Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morval Ross Posted 5 November , 2004 Share Posted 5 November , 2004 Hi Pals, Will order a copy of this this afternoon, I meet Johan at the end of september and we had a long evening chatting over a couplke of beers, A very interesting man I must say, Am just finishing Alexander Barries War undergound, the tunnelers of the great war. It is a fantastic read. Cant wait to get my hands on a copy of Johans, Thanks for the heads up. Ross, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morval Ross Posted 9 November , 2004 Share Posted 9 November , 2004 Hi Pals, Just picked up my copy on www.play.com for 18.99 including P&P. cant wait to get this, even though the mountain of must reads is getting out of control. her in doors is beginning to get a little miffed, Another 27 year old lad and I have been banned by the women from talking about books in the local, I am waiting for the "either the books and militaria go or I go" statment from her. (I will miss her so) I paid for the new sitting room and I am not allowed to put up my painiting "The last Absolution of the Munsters At the Rue De Bois 1915" very unreasonable. Do any other pals have such issues. Regards Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 10 November , 2004 Share Posted 10 November , 2004 Have just started reading 'Beneath Flanders Fields' and am so far very impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bonza Posted 10 November , 2004 Share Posted 10 November , 2004 There is an account of Hill 60 operations at p949 of Volume IV of the AWM Official Histories. Some kind person gave me an A3 size Map of the tunnels which proved a very handy reference to that article. here's a link Hill 60 MINING Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 13 November , 2004 Share Posted 13 November , 2004 I was most fortunate today, my wife and myself attended a talk by Peter Barton on Tunnelling on the Western Front what a great 90 minutes spent at the Royal Engineers Museum. My wife purchased one of my Christmas presents and she got it signed by Peter( I wonder what it is?) not allowed to peek under sentence of death if I do. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 10 December , 2004 Admin Share Posted 10 December , 2004 Based on the reviews, I have ordered this from Amazon as a pressie to myself this Christmas. I'm still waiting for it to arrive, and will have to exercise great self restraint! Yesterday, a work colleague who is a member of a military history book club offered me the very same book, as he had been sent it and didn't want it.(He is more interested in WW2) So now I have 2 copies pending. Dilemma! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummy Posted 10 December , 2004 Share Posted 10 December , 2004 Michelle, If you want to sell your extra copy I'll buy it off you. Cheers Neil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zijde26 Posted 11 June , 2005 Share Posted 11 June , 2005 By accident, I do have an extra dutch copy of "Beneath Flanders Fields". If interested, take contact off forum. Thanks, Gilbert Deraedt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 11 June , 2005 Share Posted 11 June , 2005 is 'extra Dutch' just this side or just the far side of Double Dutch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 11 June , 2005 Share Posted 11 June , 2005 (I'll write this posting in English, not in Double Dutch... As far as I know Single Dutch is already difficult enough for most members ! Gilbert could tell you himself, and maybe this has already been said in this thread or elsewhere ... But the "extra" could also mean that it contains more pages than the English version, which came out half a year ago. More pages, also because there is extra information in it, which was confirmed by Johan VDW (one of the authors). But don't ask me what info is extra in the Dutch version. No idea. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaisersoffensive Posted 11 June , 2005 Share Posted 11 June , 2005 Hello This is clearly the site with a wealth of expertise. I have in my modest collection a casualty pair to a Canadian who was attached to the 2nd Canadian Tunnelling Co. being killedon 2nd May 1817. Does anyone have details of the activities of this Company at this time, Thanking you in anticipation. Regards, Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaisersoffensive Posted 11 June , 2005 Share Posted 11 June , 2005 Hello This is clearly the site with a wealth of expertise. I have in my modest collection a casualty pair to a Canadian who was attached to the 2nd Canadian Tunnelling Co. being killedon 2nd May 1817. Does anyone have details of the activities of this Company at this time, Thanking you in anticipation. Regards, Bob <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What a fool I now feel. Obviously I mean 1917. Otherwise he was a very slow worker or had tremendous forsight! He must have felt very lonely too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 12 June , 2005 Share Posted 12 June , 2005 Is there any mention in the book of an officer named Arthur Dean? He was my great uncle by marriage; he died in 1976 aged 84 and was one of the few WW1 vets I have actually known. He was certainly in the RE and I'm pretty sure I remember him saying he was involved in tunnelling. His entry in "Who was who" suggest that he ended the war as a Major with the MC (he didn't tell us about the MC). After the war he was a civil engineer with the Indian Civil Service and was knighted for building a bridge out there. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 12 June , 2005 Share Posted 12 June , 2005 Adrian, I'm afraid Arthur Dean's name is not in it. Certainly not in the Index of the book. (Original English version) Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 12 June , 2005 Share Posted 12 June , 2005 But don't ask me what info is extra in the Dutch version. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Johan added details of tunnellers buried in the Salient and a list of dugouts. I think it also has more illustrations. Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 12 June , 2005 Share Posted 12 June , 2005 Is there any mention in the book of an officer named Arthur Dean? He was my great uncle by marriage; he died in 1976 aged 84 and was one of the few WW1 vets I have actually known. He was certainly in the RE and I'm pretty sure I remember him saying he was involved in tunnelling. His entry in "Who was who" suggest that he ended the war as a Major with the MC (he didn't tell us about the MC). After the war he was a civil engineer with the Indian Civil Service and was knighted for building a bridge out there. Adrian <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Adrian This sounds like Arthur William Henry Dean, MC, who served with 252 Tunnelling Company. Did he leave any account of his activities? I had previously wondered if he was the author of Tunnellers All by Edward Synton (pseud.) but obviously you would have known if he had written a book. Here is his MC LG 15 March 1916 Temporary Second Lieutenant Arthur William Henry Dean, 252nd Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers. For conspicuous gallantry. He rescued at great personal risk from a wrecked mine a N.C.O. and a man who had been entombed. He then went further and found another man dead. Within five minutes of his return the whole gallery collapsed. Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zijde26 Posted 12 June , 2005 Share Posted 12 June , 2005 To Bob, The dutch version of the book ' Beneath Flanders Fields ' gives some references to this Canadian company. There is an index of the casualties of these companies. I understood in your posting that some casualties are known to you. Can you give theit names ? To Adrian, At first glance, the dutch version of the book ' Beneath Flanders Fields, does not cite a 'Dean'. I need perhaps more time and/or more information. Gilbert Deraedt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 12 June , 2005 Share Posted 12 June , 2005 To Adrian, At first glance, the dutch version of the book ' Beneath Flanders Fields, does not cite a 'Dean'. I need perhaps more time and/or more information. Gilbert Deraedt <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And there is no "Dean" in the index of the English Edition, Adrian. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 12 June , 2005 Share Posted 12 June , 2005 And there is no "Dean" in the index of the English Edition, Adrian. Tom <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 252 Tunnelling Company were never in the Salient, so I wouldn't expect him to be mentioned. Adrian- Is this him, by any chance? Iain- Back to your thread - the book is brilliant! Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehowarth Posted 12 June , 2005 Share Posted 12 June , 2005 Hi all This is definitely a book I will be putting on my growing 'want' list - unfortunately, though, behind a new book on the Bradford pals due out in July. Can I be cheeky and asked if somebody with a copy could quickly assess the amount written on 171 Co., especially regarding Messines Ridge. My main interest is in 2/Lt W A Rodwell, MC, who won his decoration digging Spanbroekmolen. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 12 June , 2005 Share Posted 12 June , 2005 Simon Thanks for this info on Arthur Dean (later Sir Arthur). This is probably the right man, but I would have go to the library and find "Who Was Who" again to be sure of his other Christian names. (Or is it on-line? - never tried that way). I haven't heard that he wrote a book, but he was modest about a lot of things. My great-aunt was his second wife and she didn't marry him till 1951 (and is now also deceased) so she might not even have known of a book. He had some sons by his first marriage but I've lost contact with them. The photo does look like the way I remember him, but as he was an old man by the time I knew him this might be wishful thinking. Where were 252 coy. located if not the Salient - the Somme I presume? I do remember him saying that he once had to lead his men over the top in support of an infantry attack. He said he wasn't happy about doing this "but I went". I always remember him saying "But I went" - an understatement that spoke volumes. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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