Pozieres Posted 21 November , 2004 Share Posted 21 November , 2004 Can anyone recommend a good book relating to the recruitment, formation and actions of the tunneling company's on the Western front. Richard Holmes' "Tommy" has whetted my appetite for further detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 21 November , 2004 Share Posted 21 November , 2004 I have: WAR UNDERGROUND by Alexander Barrie ISBN 0 352 30970 9 Its quite good and covers techniques etc. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 21 November , 2004 Share Posted 21 November , 2004 There is Alexander Barrie's Classic "War Underground" which is well worth a read. There's also a more recent book about John Norton Griffiths, who was the prime-mover in the development of Great War tunnelling, "Tunnel-Master and Arsonist of the Great War" by Tony Bridgland and Ann Morgan. This is more a bio of Norton-Griffiths than a book about tunnelling, although of course, tunnelling is given due prominence in the section dealing with Norton-Griffiths's war-time career. Also the brand-new and popular "Beneath Flanders Fields - The War Underground 1914-1918," by Peter Barton, Peter Doyle and Johan Vandewalle, which has been getting some very good write-ups here on the Forum. Best wishes - Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pozieres Posted 21 November , 2004 Author Share Posted 21 November , 2004 Thanks very much guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterySergeantMajor Posted 21 November , 2004 Share Posted 21 November , 2004 "Tunnelers" by Capt W. Grant Grieve (1936) - republished by Naval & Military Press Erwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 22 November , 2004 Share Posted 22 November , 2004 Alexander Barrie's "War Underground" is very good. Readers of 'Birdsong' will quickly recognise where Sebastian Faulks got many of his ideas from........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 On Monday I was listening to a discussion on BBC Radio Bristol involving two authors who had just published a new book on the Royal Engineers Tunneling activities in WW1. I have a particular interest since my Great Uncle served in 256 Tunneling company and was killed in August 1916 just one month after the Company was formed. Apparently the book took 10 years to research since , compared to the millions who took part in WW1, the RE company strengths amounted to only about 35000 and personal anecdotes, letters etc. were hard to come by. Unfortunately I was interupted and did not learn the title of the publication, which is very comprehensive and brand new and would be pleased if somebody could enlighten me since I should be pleased to read it. There was recently on satelite television a very good presentation on the Tunneling companies RE. Regards George Hall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 George, It will be "Beneath Flanders Fields - The War Underground 1914-1918," by Peter Barton, Peter Doyle and Johan Vandewalle. I've just received my copy and it looks very good indeed. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 Yes indeed. We have just treated ourselves, and it is a handsome volume, both in terms of presentaion and research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 There's also a short summary of the 3 Australian Tunnelling Companies available on the Australian War Memorial's electronic version of the Official Histories. It's either volume 4 or 5 of the history. It can be accessed through the follolwing site. http://www.awm.gov.au Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tunneller179 Posted 26 November , 2004 Share Posted 26 November , 2004 "Tunnellers all" is a gripping good read by Edward Synton if you can get a copy. For my research I`ve used both Greive/Newmans book "Tunnellers" and Barries "War Underground". "Beneath Flanders fields" is also worth buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Gibson Posted 26 November , 2004 Share Posted 26 November , 2004 In the book "On the Western Front 1/3 Monmouthshire Regiment" there is a chapter that covers mining operations at Hill 60, March - April 1915. An interesting little read. Regards Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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