The secret underground tunnels that shaped the Battle of Arras
In short: In 1916, 400 New Zealand miners were tasked with a clandestine mission: carving out miles of limestone beneath French soil to launch a surprise attack on German forces.
This documentary explores the covert engineering feat that preceded the Battle of Arras in World War I. Working under extreme secrecy, these volunteers excavated 19 km of tunnels, eventually housing 24,000 soldiers who prepared for an assault on April 9, 1917.
The mission was so well-guarded that it remained largely forgotten for decades. The film uses archives from the Wellington Quarry Museum and insights from historians to honor these miners, whose work in the darkness resulted in a high cost: one-third of the soldiers who stormed the lines were killed.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Tunnels of War: The Secret Underground Battle of Arras - Full Documentary
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