Miners at War 1914-1919
By Ritchie Wood
Helion, 304 pages, £35
In December 1914, as the Western Front trench lines became fixed, thoughts turned to how to penetrate the enemy’s defences. Might it be possible to go under them? Shallow tunnels soon allowed the detonation of explosives close to, or under, enemy lines. As both sides burrowed deeper and specialist workers were required, the Royal Engineers asked for volunteers. Many of those who came forward were Welsh coal miners. This well-illustrated book looks at a selection of tunnelling companies, where they fought, the coalminers who served in them, the arduous work they undertook and perils they faced, the medals they won and the casualties they suffered.
As the author says, with so many records lost, making a comprehensive list of Welsh coal miners who served as tunnellers is impossible. But his careful explanation of the research methods used in identifying the men he writes about will be useful for other researchers. Though this is based on the author’s PhD thesis and occasionally reads like one it is a highly readable book on a very special group of soldiers.
Phil Tomaselli is a military family history expert