Tunnels heroism

I WONDER if you could correct your reporting on the detonation of 19 mines on the Messines ridge on 7 June, 1917, which you describe as "one of the most successful Allied operations of the war", where "British engineers had spent almost a year before the battle tunnelling under the German positions" (2 April).

As is the case with many British historical accounts, the major part played by the Australian and Canadian tunnelling companies has been ignored. At Hill 60 and The Caterpillar, the 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company performed the initial difficult and dangerous task of tunnelling and laying the charges.

The Ist Australian Tunnelling Company, under the command of Major James Henry OBE, DSO, MiD took over in November 1916 and had to sink a new shaft and gallery to prevent the tunnels collapsing from water leaks and running sand.

An underground war ensued, as Australian and German tunnellers sought to locate each others' tunnels and destroy them with mines and counter-mines (Crumps & Camouflets by D Finlayson describes the part played by the Australians).

Seven months of hard work, anxiety, danger and sacrifice of men's lives finally paid off when, at 3.10am, Captain Oliver Woodward, MC (2 bars) MiD, threw the switch on the detonator setting off 56,000kg of ammonal explosives after which, in Woodward's own words, "the well-hated Ypres salient ceased to exist".

The explosion was witnessed by my grandfather, Major Alexander Sanderson DSO, MC (bar), MiD, OC the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company, who had been invited by his colleague Major Henry to witness the event.

ROBIN LAUNCHLAN JOHN SANDERSON

Rue Paul Hervieu

Paris, France