Since I seem to be in a tunnels Twitter mood today, here's a picture I grabbed of the Tunnelers' Memorial in France.
It's relatively hard to find, but is near Bethune. /1
It's relatively hard to find, but is near Bethune. /1
It's somewhat obscurely located, because it sits above the place where William Hackett of the 254th Tunnelling Company died, earning a posthumous Victoria Cross.
Hackett was part of a mixed team that were working on a tunnel gallery when a German counter-mine exploded, bringing the tunnel down on the men inside.
After 20 hours of frantic digging, those outside the blast range managed to dig a tiny tunnel through to the trapped survivors.
After 20 hours of frantic digging, those outside the blast range managed to dig a tiny tunnel through to the trapped survivors.
Once they broke through to the survivors, they found Hackett tending to four wounded men. He immediately helped the rescuers move the wounded men into the narrow escape tunnel from the other side, insisting they be dragged to safety first while he helped from behind.
As the rescuers continued their work, it became obvious to everyone - including Hackett - that the escape tunnel was beginning to collapse. They begged Hackett to quickly escape and leave the wounded.
"I am a tunneller." He told them, refusing. "I must help the others first."
"I am a tunneller." He told them, refusing. "I must help the others first."
Shortly after the third wounded man had been successfully evacuated, the escape tunnel finally collapsed, burying Hackett and the final wounded man.
Rescuers tried for another four days to reach them for four more days, but failed.
Rescuers tried for another four days to reach them for four more days, but failed.
Hackett and the final wounded man, Private Thomas Collins of the Welsh Regiment, lie today somewhere under that wheat field you can see in the first photo in this thread.
If you ever do visit this memorial, I HIGHLY recommend popping into the French communal cemetery just across the road. It's got a small CWGC section.
There's a few sad and touching inscriptions on the stones in there, which (as always) hint at the family tragedies we forget about in the sweeping history of WW1.
A.C. Turner
"In memory of our dear son. He died for us. Mom. Dad. Sisters and Brothers"
A.C. Turner
"In memory of our dear son. He died for us. Mom. Dad. Sisters and Brothers"
It also has something you don't see very often on this side of the WW2 European theatre. A RUSSIAN war grave.
Do stick your head in though. I don't think is frequently visited, and as long as we read and remember the names the men are remembered. /END
Do stick your head in though. I don't think is frequently visited, and as long as we read and remember the names the men are remembered. /END
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