Tunnelling in the Great War by Professor Peter Doyle
Tunnelling played an important part in many battles in the Great War. On the Western Front both sides used tunnels to lay mines under enemy trenches and to listen for enemy mining activity. In some places, like Vimy Ridge, tunnels were used to shelter and transport troops.
Peter is a geologist and historian who specialises in the understanding of military terrain in both the Great War and the Second World War. He is emeritus professor of history at London Southbank University and lectures on First World War trench warfare at Goldsmiths, University of London.
He has written and co-written many articles and books on aspects of both World Wars. His books on tunnelling and related geology in the Great War include
Beneath Flanders Fields The Tunnellers War 1914-18.
Disputed Earth: Geology and Trench Warfare on the Western Front 1914-1918
Peter has been actively engaged in conflict archaeology for many years and has worked on the Great War trenches threatened by the A19 motorway on the outskirts of Ieper and excavations at Messines and at Hill 80 near Wytschaete.
This meeting will be held in Cobham. Members of The Western Front Association and non-members are equally welcome. We ask for a modest £5 donation on the door. This includes tea, coffee and biscuits at the break (before the Q&A session with the speaker).
Members joining us at Cobham can use our new cashless card system and use their credit card/phone with the new reader that will be available at the signing-in desk.
To help make things easier and safer, we are asking those coming to Cobham to bring their own mug for coffee or tea.
Peter’s talk starts at 8pm. Doors open at Cobham at 7:15pm and the meeting starts at 7:45pm.
The picture shows the geology of the mines at Messines in July 1917 from The Work of the Royal Engineers in the European War, 1914-19. Geological Work on the Western Front,(IRE Chatham 1922)