Petit Bois 2 Krater

Deep beneath the Flanders fields near Vandamme Farm, a secret lay buried. This secret was the Petit Bois 2 Krater. The Petit Bois 2 Krater whispers tales of a daring British mining operation during the Great War. Let’s journey back to 1915, to the ruins of Vandamme Farm. This is where the 250th Tunnelling Company began their work. Their mission was to create a network of tunnels, culminating in the creation of the Petit Bois 2 Krater. Their initial shaft descended 58 feet, then 97. A second shaft followed. The British engineers brought in a seven-tonne Stanley Heading machine. This machine, designed for coal mines, carved a 2.4-meter diameter tunnel. It was a marvel of engineering. However, the Flanders clay proved a formidable foe. The clay swelled, gripping the machine in a vice-like grip. Despite setbacks, the tunnellers persisted. They advanced the gallery, eventually reaching beneath the German front line. Tragedy struck on June 10, 1916. German mines exploded, collapsing a section of the tunnel. Twelve men were trapped. A desperate rescue mission ensued. After six and a half days, eleven bodies were recovered. One man, Sapper William Bedson, miraculously survived. Bedson, an experienced coal miner, had found a small pocket of air. He rationed his biscuits and water, waiting for rescue. Against all odds, he survived. The Petit Bois 2 Krater stands as a testament to the ingenuity, resilience, and sacrifice of those who fought in the First World War.