Sage-Tips

What caused Lochnagar Crater?

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 was the biggest explosion in ww1?

The Battle of Messines
The Battle of Messines in June of 1917 witnessed what was arguably the single largest explosion of the pre-atomic age, when 19 underground mines packed with an estimated 1 million pounds of high explosives erupted beneath the German line, killing untold numbers of soldiers and shattering German morale before the real …

How many died at Lochnagar Crater?

At Mash Valley, the attackers lost 5,100 men before noon and at Sausage Valley near the crater of the Lochnagar mine, there were over 6,000 casualties, the highest concentration on the battlefield. The 34th Division in III Corps had suffered the greatest number of casualties of the British divisions engaged on 1 July.

How big is the Lochnagar Crater?

The mine created a crater 330 ft (100.5 metres) across and 70 ft (21 metres) deep, including a lip 15 ft (4.6 metres) high. This is the largest crater made by man in anger in history.

How were mines used in ww1?

Though improvised land mines in the form of buried artillery shells were used in World War I, particularly by the Germans against French and British tanks, the land mine became important only in World War II. Land mines are typically used to disrupt or prevent the massed attack of tanks and/or infantry.

Who were the tunnelers in ww1?

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 the aftermath of the Halifax explosion?

In the aftermath of the explosion, Halifax residents buried their dead, cared for the wounded, and began to rebuild their city. Despite the absolute destruction and the magnitude of relief operations, transatlantic naval convoys had resumed within a week.

How much TNT equals a nuke?

Thus, a 1 kiloton nuclear weapon is one which produces the same amount of energy in an explosion as does 1 kiloton (1,000 tons) of TNT. Similarly, a 1 megaton weapon would have the energy equivalent of 1 million tons of TNT.

Are there still trenches from World War 1?

A few of these places are private or public sites with original or reconstructed trenches preserved as a museum or memorial. Nevertheless, there are still remains of trenches to be found in remote parts of the battlefields such as the woods of the Argonne, Verdun and the mountains of the Vosges.

How did mines affect ww1?

Such tactics were employed on an unprecedented scale during World War I, the nature of trench warfare making mines an effective way to inflict large-scale destruction on fixed positions. German units packed tunnels with explosives to undermine enemy positions beginning early in the war.

What happens when you step on a landmine?

There is a common misperception that a landmine is armed by stepping on it and only triggered by stepping off, providing tension in movies. In fact the initial pressure trigger will detonate the mine, as they are designed to kill or maim, not to make someone stand very still until it can be disarmed.

What were mines used for in ww1?

During the First World War, the use of land mines referred primarily to the digging of tunnels beneath enemy trenches and strongpoints, and igniting large charges of explosive.