Below the shattered ground that separated the British and German infantry on the Western Front in the First World War, an unseen and largely unknown war was raging, fought by miners, ‘tunnelers’ as they were known. They knew that, at any moment, their lives could be extinguished without warning by hundreds of tons of collapsed earth and debris. Australian tunneling companies took part in the battles of Fromelles, Arras, Messines, Passchendaele, Cambrai, the defense of Amiens, Lys, and the famous last 100 days. Crumps and Camouflets, is the first complete history of Australia’s role in the tunneling war of 1914-1919, of the men and units in which they served, and of life in the tomblike tunnels of the war underground.

Crumps and Camouflets: Australian Companies Tunnelling on the Western Front (Australian Army History Collection)

History

Finlayson, Damien

Americas

Big Sky Publishing

Few soldiers on the Western Front had heard of the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company, even after it had been renamed the ‘Alphabet Company’ by an AIF wag. Yet many knew the work of this tiny unit which numbered fewer than 300 at full strength. Despite its small size, the Alphabet Company’s influence was enormous and spanned the entire British sector of the Western Front, from the North Sea to the Somme. This is the story of the ‘Alphabeticals’ who, led by Major Victor Morse, DSO, operated and maintained pumps, generators, ventilation fans, drilling equipment and other ingenious devices in extreme circumstances. Given the horrendous conditions in which the troops lived and fought, this equipment was desperately needed, as were the men who operated it in the same, often nightmarish setting. This is the first account of the dynamic little unit that was the Alphabet Company, a unit that has been neglected by history for a century. It is the story of the men, their machinery and the extraordinary grit they displayed in performing some of the most difficult tasks in a war noted for the horrific conditions in which it was waged. They do not deserve to be forgotten.

Supporting Tunnelling Operations in the Great War: The AIF's Alphabet Company

Europe

Pen and Sword Military

Critically acclaimed authors and highly regarded military history titles. Easy to read and well illustrated with numerous maps and images. Includes extracts from diaries and letters never published before. Written in an engaging manner for both mainstream readers and military enthusiasts. This pack contains two titles: BEATEN DOWN BY BLOOD "Bomford sets a standard for the mass of centenary histories of the AIF to come. It is a high one.” Weekend Australian “A coherent narrative of the battle, no mean feat for any Western Front history.” Beaten Down by Blood charts an extraordinary journey from the trenches facing Mont St Quentin through the frenetic phases of the battle until the final objectives are taken. This is the story, often told in the words of the men themselves, of the capture of the ‘unattackable’ Mont and the ‘invincible’ fortress town of Péronne, two of the great feats of Australian forces in the First World War. The Battle of Mont St Quentin-Péronne represents the Australian Corps at its very best, its diggers fighting for peace and satisfied that, ‘whatever might lie ahead, at least everything was right behind them’ CRUMPS &amp; CAMOUFLETS “An excellent historical record of a largely unknown part of the war.” Australian Defence Magazine “A magnificent book which certainly does justice to those brave tunnelers. Highly recommended!” Mufti Magazine Victorian RSL Below the shattered ground that separated the British and German infantry on the Western Front in the First World War, an unseen and largely unknown war was raging, fought by miners, ‘tunnelers’ as they were known. It was a war within a war in its most literal sense. Australian tunneling companies took part in many of the largest battles on the Western Front. Crumps and Camouflets, is the first complete history of Australia’s role in the tunneling war of 1914-1919, of the men and units in which they served, and of life in the tomblike tunnels of the war underground.

ANZAC Centenary Commemorative Twin Pack: Volume 1 - Beaten Down By Blood & Crumps and Camouflets (The Australian Army History Collection)

Bomford, Michele

Australia & Oceania

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