"Ghost" Soldiers of the Somme

Whatever the technical details, a horror beyond words. I actually use it to kick myself when my "Woe is me" syndrome hits. I tell myself "I'm not sitting up to my waist in a water filled shell hole shared with decomposing human beings while under incessant heavy artillery fire". Works every time!.
 

Warrigal said:
And the Western Front also saw the development of deep tunnels that undermined the positions of the enemy. By both sides.
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Not true I'm afraid. Saps were used, hence the troops known as "Sappers" in the Napoleonic Wars, another example of 19th century tactics!
 
Laurie said:
Not true I'm afraid. Saps were used, hence the troops known as "Sappers" in the Napoleonic Wars, another example of 19th century tactics!
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The sappers in Napoleons army were basically engineers. More involved in building bridges and clearing roads to move the army forward.
The original "saps" were open trenches used to approach fortifications. More commonly done during sieges in Marlborough's era.
Actual tunneling was used earlier to undermine castle walls. The tunnel would be dug and wooden props put in to support the wall. Then set on fire collapsing the wall.These were nothing like the tunnels in WWI with regard to their depth, length or destructiveness.
In WWI a whole new science of "Tunnel Warfare" between opposing tunnels developed. Detecting enemy tunnels and collapsing them was a whole new thing.
 

"The sappers in Napoleons army were basically engineers."

In the British army they still are. Sappers, and also Pioneers, are simply sub=sets of the Royal Engineers.


"Detecting enemy tunnels and collapsing them was a whole new thing."

I disagree. Simply a development of an existing tactic.
 
Laurie said:
"The sappers in Napoleons army were basically engineers."

In the British army they still are. Sappers, and also Pioneers, are simply sub=sets of the Royal Engineers.


"Detecting enemy tunnels and collapsing them was a whole new thing."

I disagree. Simply a development of an existing tactic.
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I agree with Warrigal but I'm a peace loving guy. As you will.
 
Just read a good book called 'The Somme Stations' by Andrew Martin (novel) his books are all set in the late 1890's to the 1920's, and his main character Jim Stringer is a railway policeman.He works out of the York Station ( Northern England) but in fact he goes to other places ,even India.There are about ten books in the series,as he gets older, the books get better!This one, when he joins up and is sent to the front is brilliant.There is always a murder to solve, but the novels are full of so much else and are quintessentially English.You don't need to be interested in railways to like the books, but it adds a dimension to them, and I have learned quite a bit.I really recommend this book, also 'The Last Train To Scarborough' 'Death On A Branch Line' and
the book set in India ( Last Days Of The Raj?)
 
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