THE IRREGULAR GOING UNDERGROUND

For almost as long as people have been fighting on the surface, they have been fighting beneath it. As early as 2300 BC Assyrian engineers were tunnelling underneath enemy cities, to undermine fortifications or to circumvent them. The siege of Rochester Castle in 1215 was broken in this way. Later medieval castles were sited on marshy ground or solid rock to prevent undermining. A defender would usually dig their own tunnel to intercept the enemy as they mined under the walls. The exit to enemy tunnels could be observed, or water bowls were used to detect vibration and guide diggers towards the enemy works.

Alex Webster

Once underground, workers would frequently pause to try to hear the scrape of shovels on earth that could be the enemy. When two tunnels met, vicious fighting would ensue. Over time, tunnel warfare had its ups and downs. It became almost non-existent during the Napoleonic era, mainly because Napoleon lacked the patience or desire for long sieges. Military sappers were revived during the siege of Sevastopol in 1854–1855. Tunnel warfare advanced considerably following the industrial revolution as new mining technology and more and more powerful explosives became available. Underground warfare was seen in the latter parts of the American Civil War; some historians view the siegeworks of the ACW as practice for WWI. Tunnel warfare saw a ‘renaissance’ during WWI, as both sides tried to break the deadlock by burrowing under each…

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Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy (Digital) - 1 Issue, WSS 125

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