Tours of WW1 - Spanbroekmolen Mine Crater
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- čas přidán 25. 06. 2018
- In 1914 Spanbroekmolen was the site of a windmill.
At the end of the First Battle of Ypres in November 1914 the German Front Line was established in this location on the high ground of the Messines Ridge.
Between then and 7th June 1917 the Germans spent a year and a half developing well-established positions here with concrete bunkers and strong defensive positions.
The mine at Spanbroekmoelen was started by 171st Tunneling Company, Royal Engineers, on 1st January. Six months later the mine was finished. To celebrate the mine's completion two officers made their way into the chamber with four bottles of champagne and drinking glasses. The main charge for the mine was made up of 50 LB (pound) boxes of ammonol, totalling 90,000 lbs (pounds).
The main charge was finally completed on 28th June 1916 and officially completed, according to the War Diary, on 1st July 1916.
The attack on Messines Ridge had been planned since January 1916.
However, it had to be delayed to June 1917, because of the Germans offensives at Verdun and the Somme.
Once blown, the mine left a 75m wide by over 12m deep crater, and the detonation destroyed the German lines.
The site is now a memorial called the "Pool of Peace".
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These historical vignettes are fantastic. More please
And they call it a mine, a mine!
Took a school trip there today on a battlefield tour. The few kids that seamed to grasp how much explosive is needed to do that were stunned.
That is a giant crater. The explosion must had been earth shaking for miles. I have some photos of battle fields where this tactic was used extensively. Looks like the surface of the moon.
One of the mines of this operation didn´t blow up at all, it still lies buried and noone knows the exact location.
Ian, the history you present to us is always interesting. Thank you.
You can't help but marvel how nature can transform an event so violent and destructive into something beautiful.
With respect to all the fallen of the Great War. Rest In Peace.
Apparently from books and items I've read about these tunnel explosives the sound could be heard as far away as London
Wonderful to see the place so serene and truly at peace.
Remember going there as a cadet. Interesting area, lots of great tours.
Please do more of these. This is the stuff I love. But holy hell is it humbling.
A moments silence for the fallen.
It is awe imspiring to see how much warfare can change and influence the environment it rakes place in. That crater is huge.
Can't wait to see more of these interesting spots!
Wow..... thanks Ian
Thank you , Ian .
Really enjoy this kind of content. Good stuff.
My Grandfather was first sent to Ypres when he was deployed to The Western Front. After two weeks rotating though the trenches he was given a temporary assignment to the tunneling units. He sent three weeks working in the mines under Hill 60 and the conditions in the mines he describes were truly horrific
Ian have you seen the movie "Beneath Hill 60 " made in 2010 about Australian miners in WW1