The Unveiling of the Tunnellers Memorial, Givenchy-Lez-La Bassée, France.
More than 40,000 men were engaged in an underground war below the trenches of the WW1 battlefields, and My Great Grandfather was one of them. That’s why, today, the 19th June 2010, I had travelled to the unveiling of this memorial.
For many years, and unknown to many, a group of dedicated people had committed to erect a memorial to these men, and also to William Hackett, VC. He died in Givenchy-Lez-La Bassée whilst attending a comrade underground following an explosion. Given the chance to make his own escape after the Germans exploded the Red Dragon crater he refused, but stayed alongside his injured colleague Sapper Collins. Neither man saw daylight again, and both remain in the exact same place. The new memorial sits just a hundred metres away.
WW1 tunnellers came from Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and all of these countries were represented today. More than 400 people, relatives, locals and military attended.
It was a super day, and the high wind and showers took nothing away. Each man a hero, and each deserving of this monument.
Tomorrow I’ll be travelling with my father and aunt to identify the place where Sapper Thomas Eden lost his life underground at the age of 29. Tommorow would have also been the 100th birthday of my Grandfather – left fatherless at the age of seven.
For more information visit www.tunnellersmemorial.com
Click here for a professional set of photographs taken on the day.
Click here for BBC News coverage of the day.
Thanks for this update Russell. I am delighted that you enjoyed the day and could be there to join us and so many others who had family members who served as tunnellers. It was a hugely emotional day for us all but I am back home now – shattered but very proud. BBC Wales are covering the pilgrimage of the three nephews of Thomas Collins (John Abraham, John Carroll & Terry Carroll) who came out to the ceremony. They were very moved by the day and couldn’t believe the size of the event and the interest in the subject. It’ll be on BBC Wales news tomorrow a.m, lunchtime and then the big report at 6.30pm local news. I hope your visit to the grave of Sapper Thomas Eden was as fulfilling as your previous pilgrimage. As you noted, heroes all….
Landed at la bassee hoping to catch a bus but the place was closed. Two bus drivers on seeing :Tunnellers Memorial Givenchy-les-la-bassee:kept saying you are in la bassee but no buses going in our direction,only one old chap realised the situation but said six kilo meters,we must haye covered that distance looking for a bus or a taxi, so we missed the ceremony,sad.Still on the sunday i did travel to Bethune to my grandfathers grave, the graveyard is beautiful looks as good as it did ten years ago when i took my mother there.
sapper William Begg
180 tunnelling co.RE.
died 23:7:1916