Visitors: Please note that access underground is strictly limited on 12 May 2012 due to the heavy engineering work being undertaken in W Adit.
It is the intention to make the site open to the public whenever work is in progress. During the research phase visits will be possible on Open Days which will be advertised on this website – see below. At times when the site is closed, progress reports will appear on this website and be regularly updated on a notice board at the Glory Hole. 
We are also on Twitter. For instant updates on the next Open Day please consider following us by clicking on the banner.Please find below a map to help you find the Glory Hole.
Details of forthcoming Open Days and work on site
- Monday 30 April to Wednesday 16 May 2012
For this period members of the La Boisselle Study Group will be joined on site by a number of volunteers. We are planning four sondages at various points: the entrances of X Incline and W Adit will be excavated to connect to their respective trench trenches, and those trenches will be exposed in both directions for several metres and revetted. Both will be solidly roofed. The vestiges of the south-eastern corner of the highly symbolic farm known as the Ilot or Granathof will be uncovered as far as the archaeology and time allows. X Incline, the third (and earliest – September 1915) access route to W Shaft, will be opened at the surface and sections of its associated trenches cleared and revetted. This too will be roofed. Depending upon conditions and progress, it may be possible to explore the remains of the (air) pump chamber known to have been near the top of this incline.
The upper section of W Adit will be archaeologically cleared to connect with the ‘service’ trench that linked with the main communication trench, Scone Street. It will then be revetted and properly roofed to protect it from the elements.
During this period we will also be working in the chamber around W Shaft, erecting a protective steel cage over the 50 ft shaft. An estimated 40 metric tonnes of spoil will be removed from the chamber. Please note that guided visitor access underground may be severely limited during this period. Some shoring will also take place in the Adit itself.
- Saturday 30 June – Monday 2 July 2012
The site will be open to cater for the many battlefield visitors over that period. Further details will follow nearer the time.
Please note that visitors enter the site at their own risk, and we ask that you remain at all times conscious of the sensitivities of the local people when parking cars.
The La Boisselle Study Group look forward to welcoming you to the Glory Hole.
Open Day – Sunday 9 October 2011
The La Boisselle Study Group will be working at the Glory Hole on the Rue de la 34ème Division, La Boisselle from 3 – 9 October 2011. Although visitors will be made welcome throughout the week, access may be restricted whilst archaeological work is underway. However, from 10.00 to 18.00 on Sunday 9 October there will be an Open Day. Subject to health and safety considerations (some paths can be very slippery when wet), all parts of the site may be explored. Many battlefield features will be marked and interpreted. In our marquee there will also be an exhibition of photographs, panoramas, and maps and plans. Please note that visitors enter the site at their own risk, and we ask that you remain at all times conscious of the sensitivities of the local people when parking cars. If the weather is dry, on-site parking may be available. The La Boisselle Study Group look forward to welcoming you to the Glory Hole. An update to our week’s work can be found here: http://www.laboisselleproject.com/2011/10/05/progress-report-on-archaeological-dig-3-9-october-2011/
N.B. Please be advised that the Glory Hole site is PRIVATE PROPERTY and, as such, trespassers are not welcome. The site will be open for the public but at selected times – please visit it then.
Just checking the bbc news as I do on a daily basis; the La Boiselle Project has stopped me in my tracks. Naturally, I got upset learning about the miners and their plight particularly after seeing the photo of the tunnellers of 179 Tunneling Company who portray a strong and united team but also have a sense of humour.
The website is brief but very informative and I will be regularly checking for updates.
All the very best with the project
Sian Mai
Isle of Anglesey
I would welcome any news regarding your project as my grandfather’s brother was a member of the Royal Scots and was killed on 15 July 1916 (which is also my birthday). Since he was a miner before he joined the army, he may well have been involved in digging the tunnels.
Fascinating!
My grandfather was involved in scouting the German trenches in this area- moving across the lines by tunnel, snatching isolated Germans and bringing them back for interrogation.
Fantastic project will be following your progress with interest.
I’m keen to see this project unfold over the coming months and would appreciate any diagrams which might be produced showing the site in ‘Cross-section’.
This would be most revealing as the news story has already indicated that British & German tunnellers were both digging towards each other’s front lines.
A brilliant project. I am very interested in your work. My granfather fought in the Somme.
All the best.
Hi
Watching with great interest. I visited this site a few years ago after I learned that my great grandfather rests here.
He was a miner, was sent to France in August 1915 and was killed in December 1915, blown up at La Boisselle.
For all the years I was growing nobody knew where in France he was, and it is with regret that my granmother died without ever knowing about where he died, or where he lies or indeed any details of his time there.
It took nearly 100 years for anyone to go and lay flowers over his grave, I was however able to take my 80+ year old mother.
And so I hope what is done there is tasteful and respectful, I’m sure it will be, and I look forward to visiting again, and eventually seeing a memorial with his name on over or near where he has rested for nearly 100 years.
My next visit to the Somme will be on the weekend of 10/11 Sept 2011. Will any excavation have taken place by then?
On research of my family history I have found that a relative of mine Charles Baldwin was a tunneler.
He was in the Army before the first world war serving in Africa Left the army and became a miner in the Wye vallie near Newent. Glos. He was then called back up to be a tunneler, he was mentioned in dispatches twice and awarded a dcm.
Ted Eves
I want to wish all concerned in this very important project Good Luck and please stay safe as La Boisselle and the Western Front as seen enough sadness.
I led a party of 48 people to the Somme and Ypres during May and we visited the Lochnagar Crater and had lunch in the nearby Old Blighty cafe. It is wonderful news that the La Boisselle Study Group are undertaking the task of researching and excavating the trenches in the Glory Hole.
It was a wonderful experience for all of our party to see the Somme and Flanders and many of them made the first family visit to ancestors who died in ww1.
I am really pleased that this project has been started and will be following the progress
BBC NEWS 10/6/2011 Photograph of 179 tunning company. I recognised my FATHER middle row extreme left .He was also trained mine rescue apparatus school 170 20/9/1916 . Service with colours 5/8/1914 – 27/1/1919 . Ducking and diving incredable.
My Great Grandfarther Sgt Thomas Rippon Of the Northumberland Fusiliers (3rd Tynside Scotish) Born in Brandon County Durham, was last seen in this area.
“A good man “
Hello My name is Arthur Truby and my grandfather also was in the 3rd Tynside Scottish Northumberland Fusiliers, his name is Arthur Keepin. He was the brother-in-law of your great grandfather Thomas Rippon. They both joined up together as they were from the same colliery. I visited the family graves co-incedently yesterday with my sister and we laid flowers. On the graves both Arthur and Thomas names are mentioned. I do have a picture of Arthur and Thomas on Thomas’s wedding day, do you have an memorabilia or pictures. If so i would be extremely grateful if you got in touch.
Thank you and Kind Regards
Arthur Truby
My wife and I will be visiting the Albert area from Australia in mid-August and would love to be able to view the progress being made there. My wife’s great-grandfather fought in the Somme area in 1916. I will be keeping an eye on this site to see when open days are occurring. This is a very significant project.
As a battlefield guide of some 10 years experience I have passed the Glory Hole many many times and often stopped to wonder at the secrets that lay beneath the mass of gorse and brush there. Imagination is a wonderful thing and I would always feel amazement at those who suffered and endured there. So I wish you all well in your endeavours to tell the story at first hand and would like to thank the kindness of the family that own it in letting us rediscover our past. A worthy tribute to the blood and sacrifice of those inimitable young men of so long ago. For Jeremy Banning and Peter Barton I wish you both well in the project-we need to recognize your dedication and contributions to WW1 history over the years, with your superb programmes on TV and of course your beautifully researched and presented books.
Good luck with your project, i look forward to your reports with great interest, Reg, Graham ex serviceman 2nd ww.
Absolutely fantastic and I sincerely hope the endeavour succeeds. I have been interested in the First World War for such a long time and any project that furthers knowledge and understanding of what the ‘Tommy’ had to endure is more then welcome……
Having visited for several years the battlefield cemeteries and memorials of the Somme
having lost a Grandfather there (it is an emotive place still for generations that have followed). I will be following your progress via your website with great interest.
Good luck to all on this project.
I will be watching this site with interest. To me the whole area is of great importance and i just hope that the whole study is carried out with the greatest of respect given to all the fallen of both sides.
I always understood that the family who owned the land had left it as it was as a mark of respect. In these times of hardship i just hope that this does not turn into a commercial mess which would take the respect away from what it is.
A great project which is honoring the memory of British fighters of WW1. Thanks for doing this.
Hi fantastic project will follow progress with great interest.
Good to see this project on the go. Hopefully raising more awareness of the work and sacrifice of the soldiers of the RE Tunnelling Companies.
http://www.1914-1918.net/tunnelcoyre.htm
http://freespace.virgin.net/simon.jones87/179th%20Tunnelling%20Company%20Other%20Ranks%20Roll.htm
95 years ago today, the Somme offensive kicked off with 179 Tunnelling Company blowing the mines at Lochnagar and Y Sap.
http://www.lochnagarcrater.org/July011916.html
Indeed a very remarkable and valuable project. Even after such a long time it’s of great importance, perhaps even greater importance than before, that sites likes this are revealed and in this way again can underline or bring alvie the efforts, the work, the sacrifce of so many soldiers who were at the WW-1 front. The remembrance of all of those soldiers can be strengthened this way too. All the best with the project. Frank – Flanders – RCL.
Today we remember the Somme and all the others that perished in WW1 so the poem perhaps is fitting for this day:
At the going down of the sun…
“They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.”
Look forward to visiting La Boisselle
A very worthwhile and important project. Several of my relatives including my Grandfather fought on the Somme and three of them were killed there. As a retired archaelogist myself I look forward to following the project with interest.
I was bowled over to hear about this project. I have prowled the boundary of the Glory Hole several times in the past, peering in, and trying to explain to a bemused family why this small area of scrub is so important. As a 1/Dorset specialist, this area is inextricably linked to the battalion, so am pleased to read Charles Douie’s work quoted. I wish you every success and hope to visit on an Open day in the future.
Great its been more than 30000 days since this war ended, we must preserve what ever possible and keep the memory alive!
so good luck and i will visit this site in the future thats for sure!
Brilliant stuff – really look forward to the open days.
I await developments with eager anticipation. Myself and family have visited the battlefields for many years now,this area being one of many. I am currently writing and researching my Grandfathers diaries of his years at the front,he was on the Somme,as well as Ypres and Cambrai for the final’Hundred Days’. I am particularly fascinated by the tunnelling side of the war,again hoping to produce a novel linked to the subject, so excitedly looking forward to updates and future visits!
I am delighted at the level of interest shown in the project, reading the responses so far. I will be taking a group around the Western Front for two weeks in August and will be on the Somme between the eighth and twelfth of August. I would very much like to include a visit to the site as I have passed it so many times and tried to visualise what happened here, without ever being able to access the site. Please post times that access will be allowed during August so that I can amend the itinery accordingly.Much congratulations must pass to Jeremy Banning and Peter Barton for their continued dedication to all aspects of the Great War.
Since 1994 my brother (see above: gerard hellendoorn) and I visited almost every year the battlefields of The Great War: Ieper, Verdun and The Somme Battlefields, with great interest. The last couple of years, his two sons go with us. In May last year we met Mr.Barton in a hotel in Peronne, he invited us to visit the first excavation on The Somme, near Mansell Copse. Despite heavy rain and very muddy grounds, our visit was very exciting. This year I had already planned a holiday in The Somme Area with my wife.
I will surely visit The Glory Hole. Reading about The Great War is my big hobby. I collected already about 150 books of The Great War, including Mr. Barton’s.
I first saw the Glory Hole, the Lochnagar crater & the Y Sap crater at La Boisselle in 1970 and have been going back there ever since, most recently this 1st July. This is a fascinating development – keep up the good work!
My grandfather, John Lewis, was a Lewis Gunner in 9RWF as part of 19th Western Division who attacked over this ground. They captured the village after severe fighting. Their memorial stands near the village church. I look forward to yet another revisit. Well done!
Very interested in this project, been over to France and Belgium many times as my great grandfather is buried in st.vaast military cemetery and his brother has a memorial at ploegsteert. I like to visit as many cemeteries as possible and hope to be going this year. So would love a visit to this project, also would like to get involved but I realize this is difficult.
Regards Colin
very interested in what you are doing,been to albert in france and to most of the cemeteries looking for my husbands great uncles.found one still looking for other.been to the glory hole and lochangar crater a few times.took our daughter the first time to show her what happens in war and what we owe to so many people who never made it home.took our two granchildren while in france in 2008 so they also no there history,hope to visit again in 2012.will keep looking at your site to keep myself informed of what your doing,thank you for what you are doing.
A group of us have been riding out from the UK and visiting the great war locations on an annual basis. We are coming down to the Somme next weekend 12/ 13 /14 th of August and will be visiting the Lochnagar crater amongst other battlegrounds. We would love to stop by to see how you guys are progressing with the Glory Hole as its always been out of bounds and fenced off. Could we hook up with you guys and have a tour please?
Thanks
Hi,
I would like to publically thank Iain McHenry who was kind enough to give the KOYLI coach party a short impromptu talk on Saturday, 13th August 2011 at La Boisselle. I personally found Iain’s talk very interesting, and I guess did many other members of our coach party also did so as well.
On behalf of our coach party, thanks once again.
I am hoping that we can arrange for our group when we make our annual visit in May 2012.
This is a highly significant project.
Best wishes
Allan and Marilyn Hartley
WFA North Lancashire Branch
Myself and three friends are out in Ypres this weekend 7 – 10th Oct and having seen the open day for this Sunday 9th Oct we hopefully will be travelling down to La Boisselle to visit the site and see the excellent work that is being carried out there.
Dave
What an extraordinary experience.
What a great project.
What a great group of people.
Thanks for a wonderful day.
Regards
Yvonne and Johan
Thanks for a great day on Sunday and a truly memorable experience – Very best wishes to all the team.
Visiting with a small party, touring the battlefields, we stayed just outside Albert. Hearing the Glory Hole was open for visitors on the Sunday, we delayed our departure and had a look. The Guide was extremely informative, the trenches of the British and German were marked with flags and easy to see. Amazing they were so close in some parts and we were allowed in small numbers to go into one of the tunnels. There are some memorial notices of the men who died there and the stories were touching. Local French people were taking the opportunity to look too, I am sure no-one could have imagined so much history was so close but hidden from view. Thank you to the landowners who have allowed this and the team who are excavating – a memorable experience.
My wife and I were privileged to be there for the Open Day on the 9th. I would like to say thank you to all the team for giving us so much of their valuable time while we were there. A fantastic project that will leave something incredible for future generations to learn from. I will certainly be following the project avidly over the coming years and will be attending as many open days as possible.
Once again thanks to you all.
Trevor and Stephanie Cobby, Cranleigh, England.
To all the team working on the Project, we would like to give our sincere thanks for allowing 4 members of the Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Victoria Cross Committee to visit to site, and for giving us an in depth explanation of the project, also for taking us around the site.
We all found it really interesting and we will be following the project with a keen interest, at the same time we look forward to coming open days. In conclusion we would like to thank you for all of your efforts in this most worthwhile of projects.
Tony, & Mavis Higton, Chris & Trish Stewart
Thank you so much for arranging the visit by the Bury Grammar School battlefields tour party to the Glory Hole on Sunday 23rd October. Iain and Richard were fantastic guides and the boys (and staff) were privileged to visit this fascinating archaeological site. We shall monitor the progress of the project with great interest and hope to pay a further visit on a future tour.
I am watching the progress made at the site with great interest. My great grandfather was killed in the tunnels in December 1915 after only a few weeks of arriving there. It was a poignant moment to see his photograph displayed at the place he lies on Breakfast TV today. I hope along with my mother, sister and other family members to be able to visit at a future date.
Christine,
I’m reading your post with great interest as I watched a similar report on BBC Wales and the picture shown here was of my great grandfather William Arthur Lloyd. Can I assume we are related? I know the picture came from Lesley Woodbridge (also on this forum) who is another great grand child. I would be great to hear from you as we (my close family) had no idea of Williams place of death or the circumstances. Please leave a reply.
Hi to all those involved in this exciting project. My partner Sue and I were lucky enough to have Ian McH show us around the site in august this year – fascinating stuff! When I heard about the open day I was really excited at the thought of going but couldn’t due to prior arrangements. It looked like a stunning day! Really fed up I couldn’t go. Have seen the coverage on today’s BBC news of the current state ofaffairs. I will definitely be at the next open day(s). Do you have any idea when this may be?
Very best wishes to you all. Very exciting!
David Ellis
I applaud this projectand will be watching keenly to see what develops. My grandfather Thomas Henry Harrison died on the Somme, whereabouts unknown. Hopefully this project will provide some leads to where he may have died but even if it doesn’t the project looks very worthwhile for our understanding of the conditions the soldiers lived under.
Just been reading about your project, so took a look at the website. I was amazed at what was on it, I have always had an interest in Tunnels, and whilst the New Garrison was being built in |Colchester Wimpy’s uncovered some Tunnel workings that we were allowed to look at, It was 80 Field Company R.E. who were at the time working and training in these tunnels. Whilst working on the 25 April 1915 an accident happened which resulted in the loss of two Sappers. Also a total of 12 Sappers received awards from the Royal Humane Society for the work they did in trying to recover their friends. Also a lot of local men served on the western front in 180 Field Company RE, they are buried in Colchester Cemetery along with some in Abberton Churchyard.
i have only recently found out my great, great grandfather was killed here, my grandmother still has origanal letters that were sent by my great, great grandfather while he was serving over in france, very intresting and will soon be arranging to visit the tunnels
I am the grand daughter of William Arthur Lloyd. We never knew where in France he died only that he was tunnelling at the time. Due to the research of Simon Jones we not only know where in France he died (La Boiselle) but the exact location of his body. Unbelievable!! I only wish this had happened while my mother was alive. The sad thing was he left a wife and 6 children.
I would like to thank the Archaeological Team for all their efforts in making this happen and also the landowners for allowing this dig.
I’m completely overwhelmed.
I love to read about this interesting project as I am researching the war graves and the areas involved in WW1. My grandfather (Manchester Regiment) served at Mons, Ypres and the Somme and although he was shot in the shoulder and thigh, fortunately returned home eventually. You may think he was one of the lucky ones, but he suffered pyschologically and had flashbacks for many years afterwards.
Look forward to many more updates.
Hi,
Discovered this site by accident.Which for me is most fortunate.I have finally got a group of friends to come and
vist the Western Front.The Lochnagar Crater was on our itinerary.I was not aware of the work your group was doing there.I do not want to drop the La Boiselle site off our itinerary.Does the public still have access to the actual crater despite the work going on at the glory hole.We intend visiting La Boiselle early in may 2012.Would it be possible to gain access to the Glory Hole site at that time.
Hi guys.
Will be visiting the Somme with our WFA Branch either Thursday 12th or Friday 13th April 2012, and we’d love to see what is going on. Would it be possible to have a look around on either of those days? There’ll be about 30 of us, but we could do it in shifts (with the rest in Old Blighty) if that would help.
Back in October I was working for my charity in the Somme when I met Iain by chance he invited myself and two colleagues to see the wonderful tunnel which we did the following day. I was blown away by what I saw. This is a fabulous project and must be supported by us the British public so that it isnt lost.
Thanks guys, you are inspirational.
Visited the battlefield two years ago when I found out my grandfather and great uncle served there. What a brilliant project and hope to return this summer.
Hi All. I hope to be bringing a party of 20-24 people over on a battlefield tour 21-24th June. I met Iain recently and found what he and the group are doing to be fascinating, As Sue Robinson says this should be supported by the British Public i hope every thing works out for you and hope to see you in June.
Keith
http://www.theliverpoolpalsmemorialfund.com
I am reading War Underground by Alexander Barrie, being an ex miner I get on edge just reading about the fantastic things these men did.I am full of admiration. We will surely never see their like again.Thank you for helping to bring their story to so many people.
Visited the Glory Hole with my family whilst staying at Chavasse Farm. A great tour with Richard and Jonathan. This project is so interesting and well worth a visit and a donation to keep it moving in the right direction. Thank you and we look forward to a re visit in late September.
Please read “War Underground” or “Tunnellers”. Two great books that brings their stories back to life.
Up to now the war that ranged underground in the 1st WW has not had the cover that it deserves. Now at last these brave fellows are being given the recognition that they deserve but never asked for. Once again, thank you all concerned with this marvellous project. Hope to be in the area Sunday 29th May for one week.
Hi my great grandfather was serving in the Norfolk Regiment during the Battle of The Somme, from the information I have gathered after the miners had finished digging and explosives left under the German Lines, after the great explosion my Grandfathers Section were sent forward after explosion to check on the damage to the enemy, unfortunately the Germans were on the scene first, and my Grear Grandfathers section were never found, the Germans flame throwered them as they approached from downhill up. I and family members visited the site some 5 years ago, but I am visiting again with old Army mates from 30 Jun for a week visiting various sites, but we will be paying our respects at the site during the week, my Great Grandfather Arthur Sillence is on the thiephall Memorial which we will visit to pay respects as well.
Thank you for a great visit last week.I can’t wait to find out whats at the bottom of the shaft???? Don’t forget we discussed the easy method of keeping a tunnel on line,once in about 20 or so feet then hang a candle with a very small flame at the entrance in the centre of the tunnel then half way in hang a line of shot fireing wire or thin string again in the centre of the tunnel now go to the head end and hold up a line then sight this line in with flame and middle centre (someone may have to shine a torch on the middle one to get a good sight)sight with one eye like sighting a rifle ,sight several dots on the roof and join up by flicking a string through them rubbed in coloured chalk.Some of the dots could be hand drilled and nails plugged in.The surveyors would have to do a periodic check but with skilled miners they would have an eye for the work.
Passed the site last Wednesday and Thursday (9 & 10 May) but did not know I could visit the site. Saw a lot of small yellow flags depicting a possible trenchline and would have loved to see the ongoing excavation myself. Perhaps another time?
Thanks to all at the Glory Hole!
On a recent visit on 10th May 12, I was privileged to have been afforded the opportunity to walk the site and gain access to the tunnel entrance shaft. It was an informative and moving experience to witness the unearthing of hidden history. I wish all at the project well and thank them for their personal contributions towards this momentous task. I hope that the exposure and support required will be forthcoming to enable a suitable and lasting memorial to the sacrifice made by all tunnellers and soldiers from this poignant time in our history.