In Flanders Fields : Underground
Historical Geocache
Hill 60 is a slight hill alongside the railway line near Ypres
which had a german bunker on top until 1916. The hill was
strategically important to both sides, and all efforts by the
British to take it had proved costly in lives and had failed.
In the months following the great May battles of 1915, the main
struggle went on underground. Deep mining began in August 1915 by
175th Tunnelling Company from an entrance in the bank of the
railway cutting some 220 yards behind the British front line. It
was to pass 90 feet below the surface. In April 1916 the 3rd
Canadian Tunnelling Company took over and mines were commenced on
the Caterpillar as well. After a long underground struggle between
the miners of both sides, the Hill 60 gallery was finished in July
1916 and charged with 53,500 lbs of high explosive. In October, the
gallery under the Caterpillar (the area on the other side of the
railway line near to the road) was also completed and 70,000 lbs of
explosive was placed there. In order to achieve this, the German
main gallery had to be destroyed by a camouflet.
In November 1916 the Ist Australian Tunnelling Company took over
the maintenance of these mines. This entailed endless fighting
above and below ground to keep the enemy from discovering the
galleries and charges.
The two mines were to be the most northerly in the long chain of
twenty-four mines which were being prepared for the attack on the
Messines Ridge. In the event only nineteen were blown. It was at
3.10 a. m. precisely on June 7, 1917 that these exploded with a
tremendous shock, similar to that of an earthquake. It was felt
even in London and other places in England.
Immediately after the mines had been fired and almost before the
earth ceased to heave. the entire artillery force of the Second
Army opened a three-pronged barrage on the German lines. Fifteen
minutes later, at hill 60, the men of the 69th and 70th Brigades,
Yorkshire Bns. attacked the hill and gained the feature with few
casualties and no trouble.
The force from the exploding mine under Hill 60 lifted the
bunker clear off the ground and turned it upside down. A British
pillbox was later built on top of the inverted bunker.
original picture of a machine gun team at hill
60
WP1 N50 49.446 E2
55.681
Here you can park your
car and find your way to WP2
WP2 N50 49.402 E2
55.852
At this place you see
a bunker, just enter the bunker. Don't be afraid (not even from the
sheep)
In this bunker there is a metal I-profile in the middle of ceiling holding the 2
metal plates..
In there was hidden a dogtag that hold the coordinates of WP3.
those are N50 49.296 E2 55.912
Up to WP3 now, track
back to WP1 and cross the rail road.
Find the entry to the caterpillar by following GR marked with red
and white bars.
(Don't wear red clothes)