Was Thomas Shelby a Tunneler?

Was Thomas Shelby a Tunneler?

Thomas Shelby, protagonist of the popular BBC drama Peaky Blinders, was said to have served as a tunneller in the 179th Tunnelling Company.

What was a Tunneler?

On the Western Front during the First World War, the military employed specialist miners to dig tunnels under No Man’s Land. The main objective was to place mines beneath enemy defensive positions.

What is Schwaben Hohe?

The Lochnagar mine crater on the 1916 Somme battlefields in France is the largest man-made mine crater created in the First World War on the Western Front. It was laid by the British Army’s 179th Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers underneath a German strongpoint called “Schwaben Höhe”.

What were Claykickers?

Their technique – known as “clay kicking” or “working on the cross” – involved a man sitting with his back supported against a wooden rest (the cross) and pushing a small, razor-sharp spade-like implement (a grafting tool) into the clay face before him. It was not only quick and efficient, but quiet.

Why are Tunnelers so respected?

They have earned the thanks of the whole Army for their contributions to the defeat of the enemy. Their fighting spirit and technical efficiency has enhanced the reputation of the whole Corps of Royal Engineers.

What did a Tunneler do in the war?

The Australian Tunnelers are famous for their achievement particularly at the Battle of Messines Ridge in 1917. They were tasked with the preparation of tunnels and explosives beneath Hill 60 over seven months, working with the constant danger of collapse and of detection by the enemy.

What was Lochnagar?

The Lochnagar Crater was created by a large mine placed beneath the German front lines on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, it was one of 19 mines that were placed beneath the German lines from the British section of the Somme front, to assist the infantry advance at the start of the battle.

What regiment was peaky blinders?

The rest of the primary members of the Peaky Blinders — John Shelby, Danny Whizz-Bang, and Jeremiah Jesus — all served together in France, presumably in one of three Birmingham Pals battalions of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

What was a Tunneler in the Great war?

How tall is Lochnagar?

3,789′Lochnagar / Elevation

What happened at Lochnagar?

The Lochnagar mine south of the village of La Boisselle in the Somme département was an underground explosive charge, secretly planted by the British during the First World War, to be ready for 1 July 1916, the first day on the Somme….Lochnagar mine.