Mine Explosion

[jools182]

I visited the hawthorn mine last month on a little tour of the Somme

A thought provoking trip

[mrmountainman116]

is this legit?

[AUG351]

@mrmountainman116 Yes, its the one of the most famous pieces of film footage of WW1 of the Hawthorn Ridge mine exploding. During the Battle of the Somme in WW1 It was detonated on July 1, one of the three large mines and had 40,000 tons of explosives. It was filmed by Geoffrey Malins who was filming the 29th Division's attack. Many mines like this were exploded under enemy trenches in ww1 to make a breach.

[ColonelAli]

Tore Planet Earth a new asshole.

[wetend123]

@ColonelAli lool

[bellechique]

i think the shockwave can be seen around 08:00

[StenStyren]

This mine was used on the first day of the battle of Somme. Three other mines very similar to this one was used.

The plan was for the mine to blow at 07:28 and the armies to charge at 07:30. Unfortunately the commander of this sector gave the order to ignite at 07:20, thus giving the germans ample time to not only recapture the crater but also to man the entire front line.

The other three mines were ignited at 07:28 and did a large amount of damage.

Source: Imperial War Museum Book of the Somme

[TSM8088]

Scary thing is, that to this day, there are still unexploded stockpiles/mines in underground caverns in some parts of the French countryside.

[GarrisonChoitz]

this was a desperate attempt to rid gophers from the world, once and for all

[dirge117]

The Germans started it!

[khisanth75]

if the mine is under a trench and troops it is devastating killing thousands instantly. if it is to make a nice crater to fight from it is literally a race to get into it first. Sadly British troops were ordered to wait 10 minutes or so before going for it! enough time for the hun to get there first

[sweetypie000]

man is a sick animal

[mikris50]

War is hell! Reaching on and upon man's inhumanity to his fellow man to such extent, the outcomes are absurd! The exaulted 'few' started it, endured it and ultimately profited from it. The far too 'many dead', the cannon fodder gave of their lives on false hope! The trick on trick of warfare - Shame! Shame! SHAME!

[willhaytch]

was it succesfull? or did it just make a hole and not do much else

[heneagedundas]

Yes, it succeeded in badly damaging the frontline. No, in that the Germans got their troops to the crater lip before the British, so they didn't capture the ground. Tried again in November 1916 with another mine in the same spot and that time it all worked.

[XIndieXElectroXPunkX]

thats really weird to see this and to think i was standing just there 3 days ago....The Somme was such a sad place to go but worth it...~<3

[whatcolouristhesky]

I've stood where it was filmed. I parked my car on the road side and managed to find the exact spot were it was filmed. Amazing explosion. Oh, and the Mine crater is haunted. I saw two german soilder ghosts. I'm not lying, honestly.

[maureenOWW]

No, but you ARE deluded.

[whatcolouristhesky]

well, maybe I am deluded, but this is real

[maureenOWW]

Yes, the mine was real. Your paranormal 'experiences' are not.

[whatcolouristhesky]

How do you know for sure? I'm sure a smart person with no open mind like you can answer that.

[maureenOWW]

I certainly can: because the manifestation of a dead person defies the laws of physics. Whereas if it was in your mind, that's simple psychology and well within the laws that govern the universe. You should read some books on elementary physics, it really would halp you stop being so...well...stupid.

[whatcolouristhesky]

You should REALLY get out more. I know I'm stupid, but at least I can dream. It's good to dream. That's all I will say from now on.

[maureenOWW]

Oh, so you are now saying it was a 'dream'. So not ghosts then. You lying fuck!

[whatcolouristhesky]

I meant dream as in imagine. I admit, I may have imagined the whole thing, though how should I know? There's really no need to start swearing. I don't want to start a fight with you. There's too many wrongs in this world. So, lets call it truce? No more swearing or ghost talk? Please agree! :)

[maureenOWW]

Okay....now after the foreplay, can we have hot sex?

[heneagedundas]

I saw half a dozen German soldiers there, but they were re-enactors, not ghosts.

[Pershing48]

can you imagine being the German sitting on top of that thing? Or the guy sitting near it and lived?

[maureenOWW]

I wish Pershing had been on top of it (not you, the General). That stupid fuck wouldn't listen to the allies and just charged his troops across open ground and got them slaughtered. All because he was too proud to learn from others experience. COCK!

[theitalian556]

wow now thats an oldie

[EnglishPub]

i been dere. there was a stokes mortar bomb at the lip, right on the border of part of a field. i reckon some farmer found it and chucked it there

[mupp903]

the crater is huge, atleast 5-10/m deep

[creamofcardstv]

Your video clip is great and I've rated it as awesome. Please check out mine on regimental uniforms through the ages. It includes the Royal Engineers and many other regiments.

[DocHolliday1881]

Awesome video. People move around fast in the old films because the camera and shutter speeds are slow, thus less frames are shot and it looks sped up.

[mundaaa]

has anyone wondered why people move around so quick in the old movies

really puzzles me

[maureenOWW]

It's because of easily available narcotics at that time. They were all out of their heads on amphetamines...

[splashley10]

i went to see the crater, its amazing, and horrific at the same time

[5ERO]

omg that was a fucking huge explosion

[jackaldot70]

i have stood where it is said this film was taken. but you should see the lochnagar crater formed in the same way at la boiseille.

[hogwash2nd]

been to lochnager!!!!!!! its huge

[boduk]

Yes that was one big explosion.

[oonparas]

it was a little infantry mine ^^^kidding