B+WORLD+WAR+LINKS


 * Great Links**

 [|http://www.worldwar1.com]  [|WW1 pre-1914 documents]
 * [|PASCHENDALE]**
 * [|THE ARRAS TUNNELS]**
 * [|A VIRTUAL TOUR OF A TRENCH]**

**NEW ZEALAND’S CONNECTION WITH ARRAS**
===[[#x--August 1914 – July 1918 New Zealand tunnellers worked on the Arras’ underground quarries, creating assorted work underneath the trenches. With the commencement of the Battle of Arras (April, 1917), the underground war ended for the unit. From this time forth, New Zealanders assembled dugouts, machine gun nests and trench mortar emplacements – a significant part of the tunnellers work in the battle. The company area extended from the Arras – Cambrai road to around 450 meters north of the River Scarpe, approximately 10 square kilometers. Before beginning works, the tunnellers would prepare the trench. The entrance was formed with a solid timber box leading forward and downward acting as steps. A corridor was constructed at the bottom of the stairs that linked different rooms of the dugout. Inside a dugout under construction, the air was insupportable to the point that was difficult to keep candles lit. Men couldn’t stay very long in this heavy atmosphere. The tunnellers created ventilation systems in order to make soldiers stay underground more at ease. The spoil was the tunnellers major problem as it needed to be elevated to the surface. Some Sappers worked underground, filling the bags with spoil. Attached infantrymen, employed as labour, helped the New Zealanders bring up the bags. They were positioned in a way to create a human chain, passing the bags from hand to hand till they reached the trench. The rubble’s bags were then stored in the trenches, or shell holes, during the day and removed under cover of darkness. The New Zealand tunnellers worked underground until March, 1918. The tunnellers were now taken from their underground work to focus on digging new trenches in the Arras front. The tunnellers prepared new machine gun nests and dugouts on the whole Arras front line. The Germans failed to capture Arras.]] ** August 1914 – July 1918 ** New Zealand tunnellers worked on the Arras’ underground quarries, creating assorted work underneath the trenches. With the commencement of the Battle of Arras (April, 1917), the underground war ended for the unit. From this time forth, New Zealanders assembled dugouts, machine gun nests and trench mortar emplacements – a significant part of the tunnellers work in the battle. The company area extended from the Arras – Cambrai road to around 450 meters north of the River Scarpe, approximately 10 square kilometers. Before beginning works, the tunnellers would prepare the trench. The entrance was formed with a solid timber box leading forward and downward acting as steps. A corridor was constructed at the bottom of the stairs that linked different rooms of the dugout. Inside a dugout under construction, the air was insupportable to the point that was difficult to keep candles lit. Men couldn’t stay very long in this heavy atmosphere. The tunnellers created ventilation systems in order to make soldiers stay underground more at ease. The spoil was the tunnellers major problem as it needed to be elevated to the surface. Some Sappers worked underground, filling the bags with spoil. Attached infantrymen, employed as labour, helped the New Zealanders bring up the bags. They were positioned in a way to create a human chain, passing the bags from hand to hand till they reached the trench. The rubble’s bags were then stored in the trenches, or shell holes, during the day and removed under cover of darkness. The New Zealand tunnellers worked underground until March, 1918. The tunnellers were now taken from their underground work to focus on digging new trenches in the Arras front. The tunnellers prepared new machine gun nests and dugouts on the whole Arras front line. The Germans failed to capture Arras. ===

** NEW ZEALAND’S CONNECTION WITH PASSCHENDAELE **
===[[#x--Since 1917, Passchendaele has been a good example for the horror of the Great War. The capture of the Belgian village of Passchendaele, near Ypres in Flanders, became an objective that cost the lives of thousands of people, including many New Zealanders. In New Zealand history since 1840, the point leading to the village was the location of the worst disaster, in conditions of lives lost. For the New Zealand Division, part of II Anzac Corps, major operations in Belgium began in June 1917 with the capture of Messines ridge  . On Jun 14th, the battle for Passchendaele reached a peak in early October when a successful attack on Gravenstafel Spur. This was followed by a devastating conquer at Bellevue Spur on the 12th.The misery was not over. In December, at nearby Polderhoek  , New Zealanders endured yet another costly setback. By the time they were finally withdrawn from the Ypres front line (February, 1918), the New Zealand Division had suffered more than 18,000 casualties, including around 5000 deaths, and won three Victoria Crosses for bravery. For the men in the trenches, Passchendaele brutal. The impact of war reached many New Zealand families, communities, workplaces, schools and clubs  . Throughout the war, communities and patriotic organizations worked together to raise funds  for Belgian war refugees and provide comforts for New Zealand soldiers at the front line. Families mourned lost loved ones in private and public rituals Hundreds of war memorials erected by local communities were across New Zealand and became focal points of a shared sadness and pride for those buried in faraway Belgium. __http://souvenirfrancaisarras.com/node/75__  __http:www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/passchendaele-the-battle-for-belgium]] Since 1917, Passchendaele has been a good example for the horror of the Great War. The capture of the Belgian village of Passchendaele < __[]__ >, near Ypres in Flanders, became an objective that cost the lives of thousands of people, including many New Zealanders. In New Zealand history since 1840, the point leading to the village was the location of the worst disaster, in conditions of lives lost. For the New Zealand Division, part of II Anzac Corps, major operations in Belgium began in June 1917 with the capture of Messines ridge < __[]__ >. On Jun 14th, the battle for Passchendaele reached a peak in early October when a successful attack on Gravenstafel Spur. This was followed by a devastating conquer at Bellevue Spur on the 12th.The misery was not over. In December, at nearby Polderhoek < __[]__ >, New Zealanders endured yet another costly setback. By the time they were finally withdrawn from the Ypres front line (February, 1918), the New Zealand Division had suffered more than 18,000 casualties, including around 5000 deaths, and won three Victoria Crosses for bravery. For the men in the trenches, Passchendaele brutal. The impact of war reached many New Zealand families, communities, workplaces, schools and clubs < __[]__ >. Throughout the war, communities and patriotic organizations worked together to raise funds < __[]__ > for Belgian war refugees and provide comforts for New Zealand soldiers at the front line. Families mourned lost loved ones in private and public rituals Hundreds of war memorials erected by local communities were across New Zealand and became focal points of a shared sadness and pride for those buried in faraway Belgium. __ [] __ < __[]__ > __[]__ ===

__and from Sam B:__

Passchendaele

New Zealand had a significant contribution to the battles of Passchendaele, and we also suffered a significant loss - our greatest single-day loss of New Zealand life, which occurred on October 12, the day of the First battle of Passchendaele - since 1840. By the end of that day, 2,700 New Zealanders would lay dead in the aftermath.

In terms of the battle, New Zealand deployed around 23,000 troops, 18,000 of which would be dead by the end of fighting at the Ypres front line in 1918. New Zealand's troops, known as the New Zealand Division, were to cover an Australian assault into the town. Our flanking was successful in terms of the wanted outcome, but we suffered 1,700 casualties. The real tragedy lay ahead. On 12 October, the Allied forces attacked Passchendaele for the first time. Unfortunately, the heavy rain and miserable weather made conditions unbearable and the German forces readily held onto the town and the gains were extremely small considering the allied 13,000 casualties, 2,700 of which were New Zealanders.

Eventually the allies would retake Passchendaele, although NZ was not directly involved in the second battle. The whole offensive in general had cost about 200,000-460,000 allied casualties and about 260,000-400,000 German casualties, all for the tiny Passchendaele

Arras tunnels and the battle

The town of Arras was very close to the front line for fighting between the Allies and the Central Powers in France, and as such sustained heavy damage. Underground however, there was a complex military tunnel system, used to transport troops to and from the front line. New Zealand played a significant part in the construction of these tunnels - the 'New Zealand Tunneling Company' sent 446 men - the first such Kiwis to arrive on the front line in 1916. In fact, we did most of the work in constructing it.

In the battles of Arras, most prominently in 1917, New Zealand played a smaller role, when compared to Passchendaele for example. German tunnelers were also building trenches and tunnels and often came into contact with New Zealanders. By the time fighting and counter-mining ceased, we'd lost about 41 men and we'd had 151 wounded.