What happened at Messines?
The British attack at Messines on 7 June opened with the explosion of the mines, causing a virtual earthquake that immediately killed as many as 10,000 German soldiers. A hurricane bombardment by 2,000 guns preceded the advance of nine British and Australian infantry divisions, which proved a complete success.
What was the biggest explosion before atomic bomb?
The Halifax Explosion
The Halifax Explosion was the largest man-made explosion to occur before the dropping of the atomic bombs during the Second World War.
Where did the battle of Messines occur?
The Battle of Messines (7–14 June 1917) was an attack by the British Second Army (General Sir Herbert Plumer), on the Western Front, near the village of Messines (now Mesen) in West Flanders, Belgium, during the First World War.
How many Australians were killed at Messines?
6,000 Australian casualties
Regarded a triumph, Messines also marked the first major battle for the 3rd Australian Division under Major General John Monash. Two of his men, Private John Carroll and Captain Robert Grieve, won the Victoria Cross during the fighting. Despite the success, the battle cost 6,000 Australian casualties.
Why did the battle of Messines happen?
The Battle of Messines was designed to seize the strategic high ground of the Wyschaete-Messines ridge south of Ypres. This German position formed a bulge or salient that projected into the Allied lines.
How much explosive was used in ww2?
Official records, which can often be understated, predicted around “200,000 plus bombs were detonated” during the war said Mike Sainsbury.
What was the largest explosion in World war 1?
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 was the Messines explosion the biggest ever?
The lightning had detonated a mine left deep underground from the first world war. In 1917, the British laid 19 mines packed with 454 tonnes of explosives in tunnels under the German trenches at the Messines ridge. On 7 June 1917, the mines were detonated along a six-mile front, creating one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history.
What happened at the Messines?
Aerial photograph of Messines, June 2, 1917. On June 7, the order was given, and the explosions were triggered. The mines, all stuffed with Ammonal and Nitrocellulose, started to detonate. In total, 19 explosions went off and they lit up the sky. The entire ridge caught on fire, and 10,000 German soldiers died almost instantly.
How did Lightning detonate mines in the Battle of Messines?
The lightning had detonated a mine left deep underground from the first world war. In 1917, the British laid 19 mines packed with 454 tonnes of explosives in tunnels under the German trenches at the Messines ridge.
What caused the Messines explosion of 1917?
Aerial photograph of Messines, June 2, 1917. On June 7, the order was given, and the explosions were triggered. The mines, all stuffed with Ammonal and Nitrocellulose, started to detonate. In total, 19 explosions went off and they lit up the sky.