Lochnagar Crater report. 179 Tunnelling Coy. RE

[TEW]

I've just stumbled on a mining report for the 179 Tunnelling Coy. RE for Lochnagar Crater. Lots of detail in 9 diary pages in 34th Division General Staff diary WO95/2432 as Appendix A(II) which makes it accessible via Ancestry. Direct Ancestry Link should work.

 

Or just use July 1916 as Date and 2432 in keyword box, then skip to page 765/1037

 

Details on entrance positions and quantities of the two charges used - 36,000 & 24,000 lbs.

 

Also includes 2 'smaller' detonations at Inch Street 8,000 lbs ammonal and Largo Street (Y Sap) 40,000 lbs ammonal.

 

Writted up by the CO 5/7/1916

 

TEW

 

 

Edited 14 August , 2018 by TEW
addition

[BIFFO]

straight link does work, 

[TEW]

Thanks for that. I use library edition which has a different URL so I cobble the normal URL into the ancestry one via notepad.

TEW

[andrew pugh]

Good Evening to you all

There has been much research done concerning the Lochnagar crater and the Glory Hole even having a fairly accurate account of the casualties who still remain entombed.But is there any

account of the German losses that still remain underground near the Y sap crater.

Regards

Andy

[TEW]

Andy,

 

Just re-read the report and there's no mention of German losses at Y-Sap. It's more of a technical report on depths, distances, tamping methods etc. It does mention that the Enemy was heard at the last moment as we were evacuating the chamber, sinking down on top of us, he was however too late.

 

I should clarify there seems to have been 2 charges set off in Inch St, 8000lbs each.

No.2  With entrance at X.19.b.8.2 to a chamber at X.20.a.05.75 to counter an attack gallery.

No. 5 Right. With entrance at X.19.b.85.80 to counter another attack gallery (no location given). They did inspect to blown gallery and reported blood etc at this point showed that he suffered loss in life.

 

TEW