Zero Hour Wednesday, June 7th, 2017
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The minute hands of the synchronised watches were carefully watched as they ticked down to 3.10am. As each reached the appointed time the Officer or NCO of the Royal Engineers pressed the plunger, sending an electrical charge along the wires that led from his position in the trenches close to the tunnel entrance, down the dark shaft and along underground tunnels, through the sandbags of the tamping and into the cache of explosives.
The delay was minuscule, each of the nineteen mines bust through the surface, a huge column of fire and earth, taking with them all that was situated above them.
In front of Plugstreet Wood the square of red brick buildings named Factory Farm, vanished from existence, along with the concrete bunker which had been built in their midst. Opposite the farm gate the earth was sent skywards, taking with it another bunker which had commanded the slight rise. As the blue clay and concrete, bricks, timber, ironwork, weapons and victims began to fall back to earth, the 33rd Battalion rose to their feet and set out to capture their objective.
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Filed under: Great War History by
PlugStreetTeam
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