Index, ill, maps, p.305.non-fictionIn the Ypres Salient, the secret struggle beneath no man's land became one of engineering, technology and science - and of carefully calculated assassination. This book reveals how this most intense of battles was fought and won. Few on the surface knew the horrific details of the tunnellers work, yet this silent, claustrophobic conflict was a barbaric struggle that raged day and night for almost two and a half years. On 7 June 1917 the most dramatic mine offensive in history at Messines Ridge opened. After Messines, the tunnellers turned to the construction of deep dugouts, structures which housed tens of thousands of troops, men for whom life on the surface had become almost untenable. Often electrically lit and ventilated, they incorporated headquarters, cookhouses, soup kitchens, hospitals, drying rooms and workshops. Hundreds were built, and thanks to the Flanders geology many still survive today, and are can be seen in photographs in this book. world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - france, world war 1914-1918 - tunnellers

Medal presented for their service to their country and local district to returning local servicemen from the Great War (First World War) by the Shire of Eltham Welcome Home Committee. This medal was presented to W.H. Orford. Spr. W.H. Orford From Eltham We Honour You Great War 1914 - 1919 Whilst the war ended in 1918, many servicemen did not return home till 1919. ORFORD William Henry - Munitions Worker Number 542 William Henry Orford enlisted 1 Feb 1916 and embarked for France 25 May 1916. He was a Tunneler and was part of an operation of a group of British miners (known as "Claykickers" or “Manchester Moles”) recruited during World War I to tunnel underneath no man's land and set bombs below the German front at the Battle of Messines in June 1917. 10,000 German soldiers were killed instantly after the detonation of explosives beneath their lines. The story was depicted in the film "The War Below". Doug Orford, William's nephew recalls William saying they could hear the Germans as they tunnelled below them within metres. A month later He was wounded in action with a gun shot wound to the scalp and face in July 1917. He disembarked back in Melbourne on September 5, 1919.ww1, 1919, aif, battle of messine, great war, medal, shire of eltham, tunneler, welcome home committee, william henry orford