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Durham miners as sappers, WW1
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Durham miners as sappers, WW1
Durham miners who had enlisted in the army preparing a practice sap. Many miners served as tunnellers in the Royal Engineers during the First World War. Date: 1915
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Media ID 14191689
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Digging Durham Engineers Joined Joining Miners Mining Practice Preparing Recruits Sappers Tunnel Tunnellers
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures a group of Durham miners, freshly enlisted in the British Army, engaged in the meticulous process of preparing a practice sap during their training as sappers with the Royal Engineers in 1915. The First World War saw a significant number of miners join the ranks, bringing their expertise in tunneling and mining to the battlefields. These men, with their weathered faces and determined expressions, embody the spirit of the many thousands who left their coal pits to serve their country in a new capacity. The sap, a long, narrow trench used for advancing towards the enemy lines, was a crucial component of trench warfare. The miners' skills in excavation and tunneling proved invaluable in constructing these tunnels, allowing troops to approach the enemy undetected and launch surprise attacks. As the Great War raged on, these Durham minners, along with their comrades in the Royal Engineers, played a pivotal role in the conflict, their labor and expertise contributing significantly to the Allied forces' successes. This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of their vital contributions and the sacrifices made by these unsung heroes during the First World War.
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