REMEMBERING MINERS
TOWNSVILLE resident and producer of the great Australian film Beneath Hill 60, Ross Thomas, has minted a commemorative medallion in honour of the 4500 men from the Australian Mining Corp.
The medallion in particular honours the men who tunnelled under Hill 60 on Messines Ridge in Belgium. At 3.10am, June 7, 1917, they “fired the mine” under the Germans who were on top of Hill 60.
The explosion triggered the successful allied infantry attack on the German positions on Messines Ridge. The medallions, which have been made in Belgium, depict the tunnellers at work on one side with “bags” on their feet.
The other side depicts the Great War Rising Sun emblem. Due to the noise they would have made on the boards on the floor of the mine, the tunnellers did not wear boots.
Instead their feet were wrapped in canvas that was filled with sand. The Germans were underground as well, tunnelling and listening for any noise that would betray the presence of the miners digging their way to the enemy lines.
Ross ( pictured) was given permission by the Australian Department of Defence to use the rising sun emblem. This emblem can only be used for non- commercial purposes. Ross has funded production of the medallions along with minter Paul Hulbrecht and sculptor Michael Meszaros. The medallions are miniature replicas of bronze plaques which Ross had made to honour the Hill 60 tunnellers. Two of these plaques were made. One was donated to the Army History Museum at Kissing Point and one to the Ploegstreet Experience 14- 18 in the village of Ploegstreet near Hill 60 in Belgium. A first run of 250 medallions has been made. As the instigator of the project, Ross has 100 which he will sell at cost. The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the Australian War Museum, the Kissing Point museum and military museums in Belgium will sell the medallions. They will cost around $ 60 with postage and come in a presentation box. The bronze medallion, about twice the size of a 50c piece, is being sold at cost of production. Ross planned it so that the medallions would be ready for the 100- year anniversary of the Battle of Messines Ridge on June 7. Ross can be contacted on 0405 504 332.