At half past seven on the morning of June 7, 1917, a massive explosion shook the artificial lakes built under the eastern hills of the Belgian city of Messines, leveling soldiers as well as earth, and overturning German positions.
Events of the Battle
At 3:10 am, British forces detonated 19 massive craters filled with explosives under the German army lines in Messines. The weight of the explosives was estimated at 600 tons, and more of a charge containing ammonal in a specially made way. This massive explosion caused a huge rise in dust and debris, and it is believed that the sound was heard in London, more than 200 km away!
In fact, this explosion was the largest explosion in human history until that time. Nothing like it had been seen before, and the world did not hear its equivalent until the first nuclear bomb test decades later. The “dig and tunnel” operation that lasted for a full year by British and Canadian engineers.
Result of the Battle and Historical Impact
Eleven thousand German soldiers were killed instantly by the explosion, and the British army was able to capture the ridge and quickly and effectively consolidate the captured positions. The battle was a model for successful operations in World War I, and is still taught today in military colleges as a case study of a mix of engineering and military tactics.
It is worth noting that this new approach to engineering operations, known as “mining” (Mining), was an exceptional use of technology in war. These excavations formed secret channels advancing from British lines towards German lines, and it is estimated that the cost of digging these tunnels was one of the largest engineering projects of the 20th century.
Notes
The Battle of Messines is not just a battle of World War I, but it is a lesson in how technology and innovation can be a decisive factor in determining the outcomes of battles, and how creative minds can turn the scales in favor of their forces, even in the most bloody conditions of war.
