SAPPERS were military specialists used for the heavy and dangerous jobs of military engineering .. including driving zig-zag or covered trenches up to military defensive fortresses - to allow cannon to be deployed at close range - but then they might continue burrowing forwards and under the enemy positions to UNDERMINE them and explode massive charges. - Sapper is basically the French sappe .. from their word for a type of spade. ...
The Sappers were often assigned to clear minefields under fire .. thus having short working lives - "the poor bloody saps".
Both the New Zealand Pioneer Corps and The NZ Tunnelling Company served through WWI .. The Pioneer Corps comprised Maori and recruits from several other Pacific islands - while the Tunnelling Company was formed with men experienced in Quarrying, tunnelling and mining at the urgent request from British High Command seeking to counter-mine German underground offensives.
- This linked video about WWI mining & counter-mining is well worth watching for an hour ...
The Somme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQZJS4YqSEk
Arras:
In more recent wars in Vietnam a massive network of tunnels was constructed starting from around 1940 to oppose first the French colonists and then the Americans. - It is believed that at least 45,000 Vietnamese died in underground warfare against the U S Military machine. One area of the complex at CU CHI is now used as a tourist attraction.
Hi there Martin, that was a very interesting read, I had come across the original sappers when I organized a school trip to Rochester Castle. The sappers would dig tunnels under the corners of a castle and hold it up with props, then they would burn the props leading to the tunnel's collapse and bringing down the castle wall. When the builder's realized that the corners were vulnerable to tunneling they changed the design to circular towers. Also, some years back jacky and I took the family on holiday to Vietnam and visited the cu chi tunnels. I started to go down them but I got tangled up in my camera strap and rucksack so I reversed out but jacky went on as far as she could and the guide(a slender little chap) went further on with Alex. :-) Andy
ReplyDeleteThat was a great experience for you guys. The technique of burning the props was used to demolish the tall chimneys by 'Fred D'.
ReplyDelete