A.R.P.: CALL IN TILE MINERS
By COL. DAVID DALE LOGAN
Osatisfactory development in the field of A.R.P. in the last six or seven months is the shifting of attention from the gas bomb danger to the high explosive bomb danger, and the steps contemplated to provide defence against high explosives. Nothing is more imperative, but there still seems to be some difference of opinion regarding method. As to that the experience of the Great War and recent experience in Spain prove that nothing so quickly gives confidence and allays panic in heavy bombardment by high explosive shells and bombs as the provision of efficient underground shelters. The imperative duty of the Govern- ment is the adequate provision of large underground bomb- proof shelters in those cities and towns which are likely to be attacked. Underground accommodation for hospitals on a large scale should be commenced at once. The bombing by the Germans during the War of the crowded hospitals at Etaples may be remembered by many. I saw the ghastly results. Hundreds of the patients, doctors, nurses and staff were killed or wounded.
The country has been repeatedly assured by those in authority that the cost of providing underground protec- tion on a large scale is prohibitive. That does not coincide with expert opinion in France and Germany, where hundreds of millions of pounds have been spent on vast underground defence works, on underground hangars and on extensive underground protection for citizens in cities and in those large industrial towns which might be raided. Berlin and Paris have underground protection for hundreds of thousands of the inhabitants. The important public buildings recently opened in Berlin afford safe underground protection for xo,000 people. Dusseldorf, with a population of nearly half a million, has ample underground shelter. What of Sheffield, with a greater population than Dusseldorf and with a greater number of factories per square mile than any town in Britain?
It is astonishing that in all this controversy there has been no mention of the part which should be allotted to the most successful underground worker—the miner, thousands of whom have now been unemployed for years. It will be instructive if we turn back to the Great War and consider what was done by the specially enlisted miners, who constituted what were known as Tunnelling Com- panies, R.E., thirty-two in number. Owing to the vital necessity for secrecy in military mining, the work of the Tunnellers has never been known by the public. I shall not speak of the most important part of their work, but of their work in connexion with the provision of underground shelter for the troops.
A year or two after the Great War finished, at a reunion of ex-officers of Tunnelling Companies held in London, Sir James G. Edmonds, the distinguished and erudite official historian of the War, said that he thought it strange that Tunnelling Companies should have been abolished at the end of the War. He felt quite sure that in the event of another war, the first call would be for Tunnellers to make deep dugouts and shelters against the havoc that would result from air attacks—a matter to which the general staff should give more attention. I thought at the time that it was a great pity to disband these companies, but I appre- ciated some of the outstanding difficulties which prevented them being retained on the establishment of the Regular Army.
During the War, the British Staff was as dilatory in pro- viding underground shelter as the authorities are to-day. The battle of the Somme, with its terrible casualties, forced the army to provide proper underground shelter from H.E. shells. By this time shelling was on a vastly increased scale, and was daily increasing in volume. The result was that in 1917 vast dugouts, underground communications and tunnels were made to give protection to attacking troops. In this work, Tunnellers who had been actively engaged in mine warfare since December, 1914, gave valuable assist- ance. In September, 1917, after the battle of Messines, a battle in which mining played such an important part in the victory, active mining ceased. One of the most important duties of the Tunnellers now became the provision of a vast series of underground tunnels. In a short time over twenty miles of subways were constructed. All these underground workings had ample head-cover from shelling and bombing, and contained accommodation for Brigade and Battalion Headquarters, signal offices, large chambers for the assembling of men, abundant accommodation for food and ammunition stores, dressing stations with operating room, kitchens, latrines, &c. Water was laid on, wells were sunk where possible, and the whole underground systems were lit by electricity, and kept dry by efficient pumps. Every precaution was taken to make these huge systems safe from flooding by gas, and special orders were issued to prevent fires—the most dreaded accident underground.
One very important lesson can be obtained from the deep dug-out construction work of the Tunnelling Companies and that is the speed with which such work can be carried out when properly organised. Seven miles of tunnels and sub- ways were constructed in about four months. The tun- nellers were not equipped with labour-saving, modern excavating appliances. These underground tunnels and sub-. ways undoubtedly saved thousands of lives.
It is interesting to know that in the Flanders area, and in part of the northern section of the French area held byi the British, the underground conditions were very similar. to those under London. The blue Ypresian clay is the same as that forming the great bed of clay under London through which many miles of railway tubes have been suc- cessfully driven. In London abundant cover could be obtained. A proper survey of every city and large town would disclose places where underground protection on a large scale could be provided. In towns built on hills the solution of the problem should be comparatively easy. The initial cost would, of course, be great, but in peace- time the assembling halls could easily be adapted for garage accommodation so necessary for every large town. In this way ample bomb-proof accommodation could be obtained, and the traffic congestion, now become such a serious problem, considerably eased. We are told that the cost of providing safe underground shelters is very great. Against that must be put the very great loss of life involved, the creation of panic, with the consequent loss of morale in the civilians of key towns—the most important factor in any future war.
There is another strong reason for calling on the services of miners. Let me quote a paragraph from Memorandum No. 2 Air Raid Precautions regarding Rescue Parties and Clearance of Debris. In pointing out how difficult and dangerous is the work, which involves cutting through debris precariously supported, raising beams, floors, &c., under which victims were trapped, shoring up portions of structure in danger of further collapse, it stresses the point that " the members should if possible be men accustomed to this kind of work, so that they would know how to avoid incautious action which might endanger not only them- selves but also the trapped persons." Later on it says that " the special work of dealing with damaged buildings would require a few additional men wild were skilled in the use of explosives for demolition and in the fitting of props and shores. It should be ascertained where these men could be obtained." All this is the daily work of the miner. Many miners have another important qualification. Under Orders in connexion with the Mines Acts, large numbers of miners have had first-aid training. In collieries, accidents, both major and minor, are unfortunately only too common, and the first-aid men have therefore many opportunities of gaining practical experience.
When one considers the construction of underground work and the many important duties in connexion with fires, high explosives and salvage work during air raids, it seems to me that the miner is by 2ar the best equipped to deal with the situation, and his help should be requisitioned wherever possible. I suggest that Tunnelling Companies be raised at once as part of the Territorial Force. They could be attached to RE. Field Companies, because it would be necessary for them to be trained in all branches of the usual field engineer's work. The officers must be mining engineers. Coal companies would almost certainly allow the men and officers the necessary time for training. Mili- tary mining schools could be established in certain areas where all officers in the Army could be trained in the principles of providing cover, making dugouts, &c., and advantage could be taken of existing mining schools and mine-rescue stations.
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