AUSTRALIAN TUNNELLING COMPANY MOYEMENTS 'The …
Brief Chronology of the 2nd Aust Tunnelling Coy
allocated to the Second Army
Sectors engaged at: Armentieres, Bluff, Hill 60, Railway Wood, Verbranden Molen, Nieuport Sand Dunes, Amiens, Querrieu, Cambrai, Havrincourt and Lille.
Specialised in soft ground
First operating in the water-logged areas to the south of Armentieres.
On 14 May the Company divided into four sections to be billeted. Nos 3 and 4 were billeted at La Clylta and Proven and were the first Australian troops to enter Belgium
May 1916
Armentieres - Fleur Baix – Houplines - Deep Dugouts Cellar Farm (stairways being erected) - Wye Farm
The company arrived at Fromelles around mid May 1916 its first job was to mine between the German trenches. The company immediately began in defensive mining, which perplexed the Germans who were of the opinion that it was offensive work. From the beginning of these placements the Tunnellers’ immediate comprehension and skills at their job was the secret of their success in their assistance blowing a mine to begin the Battle of Fromelles.
Took over from the 172nd Tunnelling Company RE on 22 May. At 0730 that day they fired the first two camouflets by Australians on the Western Front
Mining attacks were of a purely defensive measure with no attempts to drive any offensive gallery. This was ensured by the high water table making shallow mining impossible and deep mining was so difficult as to be limited to an entirely defensive role.
During September 1916 the Company absorbed much of the strength of the 5th ATC. This Company, along with the 4th and 6th were originally raised in order to operate as independent companies. This meant that the total strength of all three Companies rose from 344 to 508, thus dramatically increasing the working capacity.
Shortly after reinforcement the Company took part in a 'clay-kicking' competition at the Second Army Mining School between the First and Second Armies with the miners of the Second Army winning convincingly (the 2nd ATC came third).
October 1916
Organisation of Tunnelling Companys
From Company Order No.21
10/10/16
Approval has been given for the Nos. 1, 2 & 3 Aust. Tunnelling Companies to be re-organised on the higher establishment of a Tunnelling Company R.E.
Nos. 4, 5 & 6 Aust. Tunnelling Companies will be demobilised and the personnel used to bring the other Companies up to this establishment.
No. 5 Company is to be used to complete No. 2 Company.
In accordance with the practice followed in the case of Imperial Companies three officers will be posted to each Company as surplus to establishments. The remaining personnel after completing the Aust. Electrical & Mechanical Unit (A.I.F. Order 299 of 30/9/16) will be available as reinforcements for the Aust. Tunnelling Companies, being temporarily attached to 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion until required.
November 1916
Captain Mulligan was promoted to Major
Tunnellers working in trench 88 at Armentieres experienced their first raid by the Germans which was driven off.
January 1917
Bluff, Rouen, Verbranden Tunnel and Larchwood.
February 1917
With mining in their sector under control, the Company moved to new quarters at a place called The Bluff in order to mine in X Corps.
Absorbed the remainder of the 5th ATC which had been serving with the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company to gain experience.
Larchwood - Brigade and Battalion H Q. Accommodation for two Platoons Infantry commenced 7/2/17 and completed 11/4/17
Bluff Dugout system and subway. Battalion HQ. and accommodation for assembly and subway, commenced by 1st Canadian Company about Aug 1916 and taken over by 2nd Aust Company in Feb 1917 and added to from time to time; subway driven approx 3700 ft
Bluff - Artillery Observation Posts for Giant Periscope. 7 O.P.s put in, two being to replace those damaged. About 1 month to complete work intermittently.
Lieutenant Lewis and three sappers assisted in a raid resulting in 118 prisoners being taken
March 1917
Ypres Ramparts, Ypres Dugouts, Alpha Tunnel, Pond Tunnel, Swan Chateau Dugouts and stairways, Spoil Bank, Whizz-Bang Observation Post and Bucks Observation Post.
Ypres Ramparts - accommodation for 1500 men and 10 Officers commenced 13/3/17 completed 30/4/17
May 1917
Verbrandenmolen - Battalion HQ. Signals and Subway to hold 250 men during bombardment. Very Bad running sand encountered. Subway 6'x 3' total footage 400ft.
Two Artillery Observation Posts and dugout for Observers. commenced 1/5/17 completed 15/5/17
Swan Chateau Dugouts for Troops - three separate systems - accommodation for 28 Officers and 400 Other Ranks, commenced 2/5/17 completed 3/6/17
Spoil Bank - Double Battalion H.Q. and Two O.P.s commenced 16/5/17 completed 30/5/17
June 1917
The Company moved to Coxyde Bains to conduct experimental work on tunnelling in sand to determine if work could be conducted on the banks of the Yser River near where it entered the sea. Mining was to be conducted in this area so that the offensive at Ypres could be supported by a coastal attack. To this end the XV British Corps took this sector over from the XXXVI French Corps on 20 June, 1917. Prior to this on 6 June Brigadier-General Harvey had conducted a survey of the area and had decided that if mining was possible in the area it would be extremely difficult. The 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company was chosen after their successful experiments at Coxyde Bains. They started on undermining a German strong point as well as two u/g communication trenches, a battalion HQ and a number of dugouts.
July 1917
Unit Headquarters stationed at Coxyde Bains on South Coast of Belgium with the Company camped on the outside of town. Whilst working in Nieuport Bains sector they were situated to the extreme left of the British Line.
July's sectionalised work for the month.
No 1 Section:
1-10 Jul. Offensive Mining against enemy strong points
11-31 Jul Subway from support to front line
No 2 Section:
Sinking wells between Coxyde Bains and Oost Dunkerque Bains.
Observatory Posts
Station Tunnel dugouts
No 3 Section:
Underground Battalion HQ and subway and quarters
Right Reserve tunnel dugouts
No 4 Section:
Tunnel dugouts at Boyau Michael
Left Reserve tunnel dugouts
Notation:
1st Division (Imperial) holding the line from 1st July to 18th July then relieved by 60th Division for the rest of the month.
6/7/17 - Letter from LtCol AG. Stevenson, Controller of Mines 2nd Army, for O.C. 2ATC awarding decorations for gallantry in connection with its operations near Ypres. Awards to:
D.S.O. Sgt W.J. Moffatt (No 650) at Swan Chateau
D.S.O. T/Sgt R.H. Close (No 511) at White Chateau
M.M. Spr M.R Craven (No 4030) at Swan Chateau
On 10 July the Germans raided the sector when they discover the British replacing the French. The attack commenced with an artillery bombardment early in the morning destroying three bridges linking the British lines with the front beyond the Yser. This isolated the Northamptonshire Battalion, the King's Royal Rifles Battalion and 50 tunnellers from the rest of the British 1st Division. The only resistance were the tunnels and the u/g communication trenches. Lieutenant Mortensen and 13 sappers barricaded themselves into a gallery and held out until the following morning when they were forced to surrender due to the stale air. Sapper Q'Connell fought his way out by throwing bombs at Germans until he was shot in the head and rendered unconscious. He regained his wits, grabbed more bombs and continued fighting until he was burned by a flammenwerfer, after which he retreated into one of the u/g communication trenches. Not wishing to surrender he swam the Yser and while climbing out on the British side he heard calls for help from a drowning British soldier. He swam back under constant fire and rescued the soldier. He was recommended for a VC but received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
10/7/17 - Extreme left of British Front Lines about 600 yards in advance of the River Yser. The Reserve Line, Battalion HQ and billets on the Western side. About 8.00am enemy heavily bombarded destroying bridges cutting off all men on the Eastern side of the river and kept up intense heavy bombardments all day. 2Lt W.M. Mortensen and 2Lt E.P. Hargraves with 47 Tunnellers and 47 attached Infantry, 1st Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles Corps and 1st Battalion, 1st Gloucester Regiment with technical arms. About 7pm enemy attacked, killed or took prisoner all on that side of the river but a few Officers and men who swam across. 2Lt Hargraves remained until the last moment destroying papers at Company HQ and dressing wounded men, crossing at about 9 pm. Spr James O'Connell (No 2432) showed great bravery without hesitation despite injuries himself. Also Spr F. Bourke (No 2441) and Spr J. Coade (No 2442) in rescuing non swimmers on the enemy side.
Company's casualties for the day :
Killed Wounded Missing
Officers O.R. Officers O.R. Officers O.R.
Australians Nil 1 4 3 1 41
Attached Infantry Nil 47
TOTAL Nil 1 4 3 1 88
Slightly Wounded Officers who remained on duty were:
Lt F.R. Hooper
Lt C.H. Blumer
2ILt S. Halford
2ILt J.A. Reid
It was not until 29/9/17 that information was officially received that those reported "Missing" were now "Prisoners of War" at Limberg, Germany.
12/7/17
Shifted Camp from Coxyde Bains to St Idesbalde.
13/7/17
Received account Sapper James O'Connell from Official War Correspondent Capt C.E.W. Bean.
14/7/17
No 1 Sect under Capt L. De J. Grut started No 1 shaft of Infantry Subway for safe passage to and from front lines in Nieuport Bains with proposal to carry through to Yser Canal.
16/7/17
No 4 Section (Capt AF. Cohen) started Left Reserve Tunnel Dugouts, a system of dugouts with sleeping accommodation for 240 men.
17/7/17
No 3 Section (Capt F.G. Phippard) started 2 shafts of Right Reserve Tunnel Dugouts consisting of a system of dugouts built in sand dunes with sleeping accommodation for 125 men.
18/7/17
No 2 Section ( Capt G.L. Smith) started two observation posts in a very exposed position and work in daylight was impossible owing to enemy planes and balloons.
20/7/17
2ILt E.P. Hargraves wounded in action being gassed.
August17
H.Q. situated at La Panne on the coast of Belgium. Unit camped at St Idasbalde. Summary of Work:
Projector Gas Attack.
No 1 Section: Infantry Subway
No 2 Section (Capt G.L. Smith): Six Observation Posts, Station Tunnel Dugouts, Left Reserve Tunnel Dugout, Infantry Tunnel No 4 Shaft, Advanced Divisional HQ Oost Dunkerke Bains
No 3 Section: Right Reserve Tunnel Dugouts, Left Reserve Tunnel Dugouts, Nieuport Bains Deep Dugouts connecting Infantry Subway with Beach Avenue and Bath Avenue.
No 4 Section: Left Reserve Tunnel Dugouts, Artillery Dugouts Dune,
September 1917
H.Q. still at La Panne on the Belgium Coast. Unit camped in the Sand Dunes at St Idasbalde.
No 1 Section: Infantry Subway, Nieuport Bains
No 2 Section: (under Capt G.L. Smith): Advanced Divisional HQ Oost Dunkerque Bains
Built in sand dunes eleven shelters connected by galleries
Adits 6ftx4ft 178ft {six shelters for Officers' Qtrs &
Inclines 5ftx3ft 251ft {messes and five for Offices}
Galleries 6ftx3ft 570ft
Galleries 6ftx4ft 373ft
Total Footage 1385 ft
No 3 Section:
Machine Gun Positions:
Broken Hill: Vertical shafts 5ftx3ft 90ft
Galleries 6ftx3ft 383ft
Galleries 6ftx4ft 234ft
Total Footage 537 ft
Bendigo Post: Vertical Shafts 5ftx3ft 35ft {plus 1 Officer's Cubicle &
Galleries 6ftx3ft 88ft {48'dbldeckbunkingwith
Galleries 6ftx4ft 77ft {sleeping accom. for 16 men}
Total Footage 200ft
Sydney ridge: Vertical Shafts 5ftx3ft 97ft
Galleries 6ftx3ft 196ft
Galleries 6ftx4ft 128ft
Total Footage 421ft
Nieuport Bains Deep Dugouts
Kursaal Dugouts La Panne
1 Vertical Shaft 6ftx4ft 6ft {plus 1 Officer's Cubicle & 1 ventilating
Galleries 6ftx3ft 316ft {shaft & 115 ft of dbl deck bunking
Galleries 6ftx4ft 100ft {for sleeping accomm for 38 men}
Total Footage 422ft
No 4 Section:
Dune 18. Artillery Dugouts
Adits 6ftx4ft 24ft
Galleries 6ftx3ft 41ft
Galleries 6ftx4ft 322ft
Total Footage 387ft
Left Reserve Tunnel Dugouts
Machine Gun Positions at Adelaide Post and Melbourne Post (these two were connected by galleries and when completed the footage was as at Adelaide Post.)
2 Vertical Shafts 5ftx3ft 37ft {plus 25ft of dbl deck bunking as
Inclines 5ftx3ft 20ft {sleeping accom for 8 men}
Galleries 5ftx4ft 76ft
Galleries 6ftx3ft 200ft
Total Footage 333ft
Kangaroo Post
Vertical Shafts 5ftx3ft 38ft
Galleries 6ftx3ft 10ft
Galleries 6ftx4ft 114ft
Total Footage 162ft
Ballarat Post
Vertical Shafts 5ftx3ft 36ft
Galleries 6ftx3ft 61ft
Galleries 6ftx4ft 80ft
Total Footage 177ft
Manly Post
Adits 6ftx4ft 8ft
Inclines 5ftx3ft 15ft
Shafts 5ftx3ft 86ft
Galleries 6ftx3ft 106ft
Galleries 6ftx4ft 196ft
Total Footage 376ft
Bathurst Post
Inclines 5ftx3ft 20ft
Vertical Shafts 5ftx3ft 88ft
Galleries 6ftx3ft 189ft
Galleries 6ftx4ft 60ft
Total Footage 357ft
1 Officer's Cubicle (no bunking put in)
All Machine Gun Positions were worked at night due to direct enemy observations.
Special Work: Boring at Nieuport: under Lt McKenzie and Lt Lambert - men picked from all sections. The object was to determine practicality of driving a subway under the Yser Canal.
October 1917
H.Q. at La Panne. Unit still camped in Sand Dunes at St ldasbalde.
Summary of work:- .
No 1 Section:
Infantry Subway
No 2 Section:
Advanced Divisional H.Q., Oost Dunkerque-Bains
Boppy Mountain Tunnel Dugouts
No 3 Section:
Machine Gun Positions - Broken Hill, Sydney Bridge, Bendigo Post, Bathurst Post, Cobar
Post and Kursaal Dugouts
No 4 Section:
Machine Gun Positions - Adelaide Melbourne Post, Ballarat Post, Manly Post, Kangaroo
Post, Right Reserve, Left Reserve and Hurle Bise
21/10/17 - Name boards affixed in the main galleries of the above Nieuport Bains Subway, they were called Bexhill Tunnel; Bedford Tunnel; Brighton Tunnel and Bristol Tunnel.
November 1917
No 4 Section: (under Capt AF. Cohen)
Completed Machine Gun Position at Left Reserve which connected with Left Reserve dugout system which was completed in July and August.
Vertical Shafts 5ftx3ft 36ft
Galleries 6ftx3ft 111ft
Galleries 6ftx4ft 40ft
Total Footage 207ft
7/11/17
The Belgian Division moved to La Panne and took over coast defence. Owing to the company moving out of this sector, Right and Left Reserve, Mount Boppy, Bathurst and Cobar Posts were not completed.
16/11/17
Work ceased on Nieuport Bains Infantry Subway constructed by No 1 section under Capt L de J Grut.
Appreciation received from Brigadier General H. Knox, XV Corps, for work carried out in the Redan, Nieuport, Nieuport Bains and Dunes.
After this action the Company did not take part in any more mining projects. For the remainder of the war it was employed as field engineers or pioneers repairing roads, removing traps, dugout construction and bridge building.
19/11/17
Company received March Order and went via Wormhoudt, Watou to Poperinghe arriving on 23 Nov. Bussed to Metz. Nos 1, 2 and 4 sections went to an old Artillery dugout camp in Havrincourt Wood. Consisted of Tunnel dugouts, Elephant Steel and sandbag structures, a small number of corrugated iron huts. The light railway ran through the camp and a pumping plant close handy and water was obtained without much difficulty.
No 3 section and Reinforcements became No 3 section moved into a camp near Trescault, a good dry camp but bad roads and traffic made it difficult to reach the recently captured roads.
28/11/17
No 1 section:
Began road repairing, filling in shell holes and mine craters and kept communication open for 2,500 yards from central to Trescault.
No 2 section:
Commenced work on a mine crater known as "Etna" on the Hindenburg Line at the junction of Havrincourt, Hermes, St Hubert's Cross and Metz. Built new roads across the crater and all roads in the vicinity kept in order for communication purposes.
No 3 section:
Started filling in two mine craters, shell holes and road repairs at Ribeaucourt central keeping communication open for a distance of 5,000 yards.
No 4 section:
Commenced work on a crater named "Vesuvius" on the Hindenburg Line pulling timber out of old enemy galleries and stacking then building a road across it whilst keeping the adjoining roads in repair.
The enemy violently attacked to the right of Metz getting within 1,500 yards of the Company camp in Havrincourt Wood but was driven back to the original line with a counter attack by the Guards Division on 30 November.
December 1917
The Company was camped in Havrincourt Wood in the Cambrai Sector, until 16th when it moved to Ypres. The Cambrai sector was held by the IVth and Vth Corps.
No 1 Section:
Road repairs, Craters filled
Dugouts in Reserve Line, Trench work, Artillery and Brigade H.Q.
Artillery Dugouts
Brigade H.Q.
No 2 Section:
Road repairs, Craters filled
Artillery dugouts 89th Heavy Artillery Group
Artillery dugouts 133rd Siege Battery, Dorgines
Artillery dugouts 112th Siege Battery
Artillery dugouts 154th Heavy Battery
Artillery dugouts 71st Siege Battery, near Dorginies
Work was just behind the batteries near the Bapaume-Cambrai road, shelled constantly and the "get at" was very bad.
No 3 Section:
Road repairs, Craters filled
Building new camp at Ypres and several forward billets
Nos 2,3 & 4 sections occupied new camp on 7/12/17
No 4 Section:
Road repairs, Craters filled
Infantry dugouts for Welsh Support
Infantry accommodation near Demicourt
Advanced billets for section & H.Q. built on spoil dump bank of Canal du Nord.
Artillery dugouts
Brigade H.Q.
March thru October 1918
Constructed Major H.Q.'s at St Quentin, Bapaume, Arras, Ancre, Amiens, Albert, Bapaume, Epehy, St Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir and Cambrai
Sources
The Australian Mining Corps in the Great War - Paul Higgins 1995
Roll of Honour - France, Flanders & Gallipoli 1915-1918 Register of Tunnelling Company Officers
The Official History of WW1 - The AI.F. in France - C.E.W. Bean Appendix 3 p 965
War Diary 2ATC July 1917 - IWM W095 490
War Diary 2ATC IWM OS 2/91
Mulligan War Diarys – notes by Ross Thomas at IWM May 2003
Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers, The Institute of R.E, Chatham, Kent 1925-32
My Story of the Great War – O.H. Woodward
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