
St Eloi Craters 1916
From The Old Front Line by Paul Reed
May 9, 2026 · 35 min · Season 9 · Episode 33
About this episode
This episode explores the chaotic Battle of the St Eloi Craters during the First World War, focusing on the use of underground mines and the impact on the battlefield.
Step into one of the most chaotic and little-known battles of the First World War in 1916 with this episode of The Old Front Line, as we explore the Battle of the St Eloi Craters (March–April 1916). Fought in the shattered landscape south of Ypres, this battle saw the devastating use of underground mines transform the battlefield into a nightmarish maze of mud-filled craters. We examine how British tunnelling companies detonated massive charges beneath German lines, and how the newly arrived ...
People in this episode
Host: Paul Reed
Topics covered
- First World War
- Battlefield
- Tunnelling
- Military History
- Ypres
Keywords
- St Eloi Craters
- First World War
- tunnelling companies
- underground mines
- Ypres
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Ypres
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