Who are the tunnellers under Hill 63, 22 Jan 1918?

[fetubi]

The remarkable image below, held by the Australian War Memorial but now in the public domain, was taken on January 22nd 1918 under Hill 63. The caption reads "It shows four unidentified members of a British Tunnelling Company attached to the Australian Corps making a dugout beneath an artillery observation post, at Hill 63, near Messines" (The link to the AWM page is http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/E01513).

Some of the more observant of you may recognise it from the recent TV program on the Western Front filmed from the Air by that Frenchman in 1919. It was on for about 5 seconds - whilst the preparations for mining Messines was being discussed. I've tracked the original down to this image in Canberra.

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My question is, can any knowledgeable Pals give me any clue at all as to the actual regiment of the "British Tunnelling Company" mentioned in the Australian caption? Can anyone tell me anything at all about any aspect of this image?

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These excavations, namely the Catacombs under Hill 63, are discussed very interestingly on these Ypres Battlefield's Forum pages:

http://ypres1917.3.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=746&st=0

So we have a location and a date - but I need some help. You see, I think I know the identity of the individual on the left, but can't prove it without the help of some of you.

Any ideas or comments are very gratefully received.

Best Regards,

Trevor

[fetubi]

I'm wondering if a few days' diet of pudding and turkey can help increase the chance of identifying the British unit here, or any other details, as it's drawn a surprising blank from the experts so far.

According to the Ypres Salient site the digging on the "Catacombs" was begun by the Australians in late 1916 (1st Australian Tunnelling Company). No 3 Tunnelling Coy and the Canadian Engineers also worked on them later in 1916. Also, from this site, it notes that from 26th/27th April 1917, the 11th Field Co, Australian Engineers commenced modification works to the Catacombs. This work lasted until late May 1917.

Can anyone suggest why there would be digging going on there in early 1918 - ie Jan 22 1918 - the date indicated on the photos at the AWM? Hopefully if I can work out which Aussies were working in the tunnels around that date as well then the AWM archives may throw up some clues in war diaries etc. Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Trevor

[Paul Reed]

Trevor, I would contact forum member Iain McHenry as I am sure he can help with this.

[mebu]

Trevor, it may not be The Catacombs.

If it is an artillery OP it is possibly/probably on top of the Hill, such as around Crest Farm, where there were several OPs. Not much to see from the Catacombs, but good views from the top. Several maps from post-April 1918 have the OPs marked. Will post one if you don't have copy.

Regards Peter

[fetubi]

Peter and Paul,

Thanks very much to both of you for your information.

Paul, I assume I can search for Ian, and his membership and contact will surface. Thanks for this.

Peter, I know quite a bit about the air war - my area of "expertise" - but less about this area of the ground war. I'm assuming OP is Observation Post (took about 2 hard minutes of thinking to work that out!). I would appreciate you posting any map images that might help. Why I have assumed "in the Catacombs" is that this is to what the AWM caption specifically refers. But I definitely see your idea - i.e. that by Jan 18 they would probably not be digging in the Catacombs per se but more likely be working "out up on top."

In parallel, I'm trying to ascertain how accurate the AWM date might in actually be. Do you have a view on the accuracy of AWM photos? There is a cluster of AWM photos (of similar number identity) all dated 22 Jan 18 and showing scenes in and around the entrances to the Catacombs, plus one of Australian troops barracked underground within. For now, of course, I have to assume the date was accurate.

Would the deep and liquid mud suggest digging associated with digging on top? At first thought I thought why would there be mud on top of a hill - but then realised it is far more likely to be like this close to or at the surface i.e. at just such an OP, as opposed to deep in the Catacombs. I think you've sussed an important point, so many thanks.

Regards,

Trevor

[Pierre]

Trevor, this photo appears in Beneath Flanders field book, The Tunnellers' page 247.

The legend is: Inside Hooge Crater dugouts during construction.

[mebu]

Trevor, attached is map of Hill 63. This (now in German hands)shows the "old OP" positions on top of Hill 63. The AWM caption refers to Hill 63, not The Catacombs, which are into the southern slope of the hill.

No certainty, but from the caption, and field of view, this is likely to be one of the OPs marked, or one close by.

However Pierre lead may well be correct...the photo is also catalogued as EO1513 by IWM, with location at Hooge.

So. one place or the other: looks like one is mis-filed? If I remember correctly "E" prefixes to IWM photo numbers means Australian photographer.

Hmm.

Regards Peter

[Pierre]

I have scanned the photo to have a larger view of the Officer's collard badge

[mebu]

Sorry, just noticed I typed in wrong number.

The 2 numbers are:

EO1513...AWM....location Hill 63

or

E4621...IWM...location Hooge.

Peter