bierlijn Posted 9 December , 2012 Share Posted 9 December , 2012 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company Does anyone have the war diary entries for this unit, as the official site has either nothing, or some copies of plans, but no actual diary entries. The period I'm interested in is October 1916 to July 1917. Many thanks, Hugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 9 December , 2012 Share Posted 9 December , 2012 http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm4/subclass.asp?levelID=1668 Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierlijn Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Hi Sandra, Thanks - this was the site I was referring to. The documents there are one for setting sail from Freemantle 1.4.16, and the war diary beginning 1.7.17. However, this unit was active at the front between these dates. Can anyone help? Hugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 9 December , 2012 Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Try Damien Finlayson's book on the Australian Tunnellers. If there is nothing in there I don't hold out much hope. Is there anything in Bean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierlijn Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 I'm after something quite specific, but I'll try Finlayson. Is it possible that no war diary was kept? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 9 December , 2012 Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Finlayson's book may give you other resources. To the best of my knowledge those unit diaries are all there are ... did you check the full listing to see if there were any other's that may discuss what you are looking for? http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm4/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 9 December , 2012 Share Posted 9 December , 2012 not sure if this would help ... its not specifically about Australians though but does mention them ... http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tunnellers-a-History-of-Tunnelling-Companies-1914-18-Beneath-Hill-60-Messines-/230894646742?pt=AU_Militaria&hash=item35c264b5d6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin spof Posted 10 December , 2012 Admin Share Posted 10 December , 2012 The National Archives in the UK has diaries for them covering Feb 16 - Oct 18. I can have a look the next time I visit. Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 10 December , 2012 Share Posted 10 December , 2012 Wonderful Glen ... as I understand it the Tunnellers were under the 'Royal Engineers'. (Says she who always says battles and battalions make my eyes glaze over). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin spof Posted 10 December , 2012 Admin Share Posted 10 December , 2012 Sandra The British Tunnelling Compnaies were. The Australian Tunellers were under the Australian Engineers but in the field, 2 Australian Tunnelling Company was under the direct command of 4th Army. I haven't done a comparison of how many etc. with the AWM but Kew has a lot of Australian war diaries which are usually one of the copies sent to the relevant higher HQ.Worth a look if you can't find it on the AWM like this case. Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 10 December , 2012 Share Posted 10 December , 2012 Ahhhh that would be where Hugh needs to look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierlijn Posted 10 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 10 December , 2012 I think that this unit moved from the 4th Army area to the 2nd Army, as the Canadian Tunnellers diary has "Three officers and 120 men" of "An Australian Entrenching Battalion" appear to work alongside them in mid October 1916, and the 2nd Canadian Tunnellers then gradually turn over all their workings near Hill 60 to what they later acknowledge to be the 2nd Australian TC in the first half of 1917. Glen and Sandra, thanks very much for taking an interest and giving such good advice. Hugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin spof Posted 10 December , 2012 Admin Share Posted 10 December , 2012 Hugh Are you looking for any partticular dates? I can have a look the next time I'm at Kew. Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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