The Boisselle “Lochnagar” crater
At La Boisselle, the "Lochnagar Crater," an impressive mine hole 100 meters in diameter and 30 meters deep, is a remnant of the series of explosions that took place on July 1, 1916. Here, it occurred at 7:28 a.m., marking the start of the Battle of the Somme by the British.
The first British line crossed the main road perpendicularly, at the current monument to the Tyneside Irish and Tyneside Scottish Brigades.
It was from here that the men of these units leaped from their starting positions at 7:30 a.m. on July 1, 1916. They were unaware that they were rushing toward imminent death. The French and Germans had begun digging their trenches in October 1914 and had been engaged in a long mine warfare since that winter. The swollen ground of the pasture located along the Contalmaison road evokes this very particular phase of the conflict.
On July 1, 1916, a few minutes before the infantry assault, several explosions intended to breach the German front line dug deep craters, identical to the one at La Boisselle: "Lochnagar Crater."
Go to the Crater
The first British line crossed the main road perpendicularly, at the current monument to the Tyneside Irish and Tyneside Scottish Brigades.
It was from here that the men of these units leaped from their starting positions at 7:30 a.m. on July 1, 1916. They were unaware that they were rushing toward imminent death. The French and Germans had begun digging their trenches in October 1914 and had been engaged in a long mine warfare since that winter. The swollen ground of the pasture located along the Contalmaison road evokes this very particular phase of the conflict.
On July 1, 1916, a few minutes before the infantry assault, several explosions intended to breach the German front line dug deep craters, identical to the one at La Boisselle: "Lochnagar Crater."
Go to the Crater
