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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company, Canadian Expeditionary Force



   3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company formed in December 1915 from the Canadian Mining Sections. They worked in the Ypres Sector of the Western Front.

8th December 1915 Reorganisation

8th Dec 1915 Reorganisation

16th Dec 1915 Reorganisation

16th January 1916 Reliefs  location map

20th January 1916 Reliefs  location map

26th January 1916 Second Shaft  location map

1st February 1916 Supply Issues

2nd February 1916 Piling

3rd February 1916 Visit

4th February 1916 Steel

5th February 1916 Reinforcements

6th February 1916 Reliefs carried out  3rd Canadian Tunnelling Coy report Reliefs No4 section carried out as per schedule. Lieut. Spears relieved Lieut. Urie. Boring tackle sent to Petite Douve. Attached Infantry 1st & 2nd Brigades sent to Sappers Farm.

3rd Canadian Tunnelling Coy war diary



7th February 1916 Gallery

8th February 1916 New Shaft

9th February 1916 Vehicles

10th February 1916 Boring  location map

11th February 1916 New shafts

12th February 1916 Sounds of Mining heard  location map

13th February 1916 Church Parade

14th February 1916 Reliefs

15th February 1916 Enemy Mining heard  location map

16th February 1916 Water Pumped out  location map

17th February 1916 Fire  location map

18th February 1916 New Listening Apparatus

20th February 1916 Report

21st February 1916 Enemy Mining

23rd February 1916 Absence

24th February 1916 Air Raid

25th February 1916 Orders

26th February 1916 Visit

28th February 1916 Evidence

1st March 1916 Instruction  

No.1 Section of 1st Canadian Tunnelling Co. attached to 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Coy for instruction reported to our H.Q. about 8 am from Ste. Marie Cappel.

3rd Canadian Tunnelling Coy war diary



1st Mar 1916 Instruction  location map

7th March 1916 Courts Martial

8th March 1916 Steel Casement Sunk

8th Mar 1916 Instruction Ends  location map

11th March 1916 Steel

14th March 1916 Visit

17th March 1916 Visit

19th March 1916 Visit

23rd March 1916 Reliefs  location map

25th March 1916 Leave

7th April 1916 Move  location map

11th April 1916 Camoflet

12th April 1916 Reliefs  location map

14th April 1916 Reorganisation  location map

17th April 1916 Reinforcements

19th April 1916 Commanders

26th April 1916 Mines Exploded  location map

27th April 1916 Camoflet  location map

1st May 1916 Counter Tunnelling  location map

2nd May 1916 Canaries

7th May 1916 Enemy Mining

9th May 1916 Sniper  location map

10th May 1916 Funeral

11th May 1916 Progress  location map

12th May 1916 Shelling  location map

13th May 1916 Lecture  location map

14th May 1916 Reports  location map

15th May 1916 Instruction  location map

16th May 1916 Enemy mining  location map

19th May 1916 Equipment Installed  location map

20th May 1916 Clay Kicking  location map

21st May 1916 Reinforcements

22nd May 1916 Commission

23rd May 1916 Enemy Mining

24th May 1916 Explosives

25th May 1916 Enemy Mining

26th May 1916 New Shaft

27th May 1916 Flight

29th May 1916 Clear Sounds

30th May 1916 Mining Sounds

6th June 1916 Enemy Shaft

21st June 1916 Pushing Ahead

4th July 1916 Reliefs

5th July1916 Reliefs

7th July 1916 Old Shaft

8th July 1916 Repairs

9th July1916 Repairs  location map

10th July 1916 Reliefs  location map

11th July 1916 Sandbags  location map

12th July 1916 Quicksand  location map

13th July 1916 Sounds Heard  location map

14th July 1916 Reliefs  location map

15th July 1916 Observation  location map

16th July 1916 Camoflet  location map

17th July 1916 Soft Ground  location map

18th July1916 Heavy Shelling  location map

19th July 1916 Saps  location map

20th July 1916 Reliefs  location map

22nd July 1916 Movement  location map

23rd July 1916 Poor Ground  location map

24th July 1916 Sounds Detected  location map

25th July 1916 Mine Blown  location map

27th July 1916 Camoflet  location map

28th July 1916 Loading  location map

29th July 1916 Loading  location map

30th July 1916 Charge Ready  location map

1st August 1916 Counter Mines  location map

2nd August 1916 Loading Complete  location map

3rd August 1916 Mine Blown  location map

4th August 1916 Defenses  location map

5th August 1916 Observations  location map

6th August 1916 Reliefs  location map

7th August 1916 Observation  location map

9th August 1916 New Dugout  location map

11th August 1916 Defences  location map

12th August 1916 Heavy Shelling  location map

14th August 1916 Loading  location map

15th August 1916 Mine  location map

16th August 1916 Sand  location map

17th August 1916 Mine  location map

19th August 1916 Noises  location map

20th August 1916 Water Pumped  location map

21st August 1916 Enemy Gallery  location map

22nd August 1916 Entry Point  location map

23rd August 1916 Reliefs  location map

24th August 1916 Reliefs  location map

25th August 1916 Shelling  location map

26th August 1916 Enemy Active  location map

27th August 1916 Enemy Active  location map

28th August 1916 Counter Mine  location map

29th August 1916 Mine Fired  location map

30th August 1916 Sounds not Confirmed  location map

1st September 1916 Listening Posts  location map

2nd September 1916 Reliefs  location map

3rd September 1916 New Shaft  location map

4th September 1916 Loading  location map

5th September 1916 Workings Can Be Heard  location map

7th September 1916 Reliefs  location map

8th September 1916 Noises Reported  location map

9th September 1916 Progress  location map

10th September 1916 Tunnel Started  location map

11th September 1916 Problems with Equipment  location map

12th September 1916 Reliefs  location map

13th September, 1916 Equipment  location map

14th September 1916 Noises Noted  location map

15th September 1916 Tunnel Completed  location map

16th September 1916 Carrying Parties  location map

17th September 1916 Loading  location map

18th September 1916 Equipment Issues  location map

19th September 1916 Reliefs  location map

20th September 1916 Camouflet  location map

21st September 1916 Equipment Arrives  location map

22nd September 1916 Gas  location map

23rd September 1916 Water  location map

24th September 1916 Reliefs  location map

25th September 1916 Equipment  location map

26th Sep 1916 Water Cleared  location map

27th Sep 1916 Countermine  location map

29th September 1916 Equipment  location map

30th September 1916 Repairs  location map

1st Oct 1916 Pumping Resumes  location map

2nd October 1916 Drainage  location map

4th October 1916 Listening Posts  location map

5th October 1916 Equipment Moved  location map

6th October 1916 Equipment  location map

7th October 1916 Levels Dropping  location map

8th October 1916 Pumps  location map

9th October 1916 Message Intercepted  location map

10th October 1916 Men Withdrawn  location map

11th October 1916 Sand  location map

12th October 1916 Reliefs  location map

13th Oct 1916 Trench Raid  location map

14th October 1916 Shelling  location map

15th October 1916 Work Continues  location map

16th October 1916 Loading  location map

17th October 1916 Tamping Started  location map

18th October 1916 Shelling  location map

19th October 1916 Reliefs  location map

20th October 1916 Trenches  location map

21st October 1916 Mine Blown  location map

22nd October 1916 Enemy Active  location map

23rd October 1916 Shelling  location map

24th October 1916 Cutting Complete  location map

25th October 1916 Mine Blown  location map

26th October 1916 Enemy Active  location map

27th October 1916 Charges in Place  location map

28th October 1916 Craters  location map

29th October 1916 Shelling  location map

30th October 1916 Mine Blown  location map

31st October 1916 Listening Post  location map

1st November 1916 Enemy Below  location map

2nd November 1916 Enemy Working  location map

3rd November 1916 Loading Begun  location map

4th November 1916 Camouflet  location map

6th November 1916 Gas  location map

7th November 1916 Repairs  location map

8th November 1916 Quiet  location map

1st Jun 1917 Mines

28th Sep 1916 Pump Problems  location map

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company, Canadian Expeditionary Force?


There are:191 items tagged 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company, Canadian Expeditionary Force available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company, Canadian Expeditionary Force

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Chilcot Arthur Frederick. Sapper
  • Cormier Arsene F.. Spr. (d.22nd October 1917)
  • Gaffikin Robert James. Pte. (d.15th September 1916)
  • Hawkin Harold. Spr. (d.18th June 1918)
  • Hudson Ernest. Pte.
  • Maclean . Pte.
  • McDougall John Robert. Pte.
  • Snowdon George Wilkinson. Pte.
  • Stewart John Hampton. (d.14/7/1961)

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company, Canadian Expeditionary Force from other sources.


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  Pte. Ernest Hudson 2nd Battalion Otago Regiment

Ernest Hudson served with the 2nd Battalion, Otago Regiment, he was attached to the 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company.

Ken Frame






  Spr. Harold Hawkin 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company. (d.18th June 1918)

Harold Hawkin was the 32 year old son of John Horsley and Anne Hawkin, of York and husband of Millicent Hawkin, of 4 Langdale Rd., Scarborough. He married Millie (nee Beastall) during the war. Born in York, England, in 1886, Hawkin was attested in April 1915 and embarked for France in July where he was taken on strength of 171 Tunnelling Coy. Royal Engineers and then transferred to the 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company. He is commemorated on the St Paul’s Church War Memorial, Holgate and in The King’s Book. His medals are held by the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and appear on their website.

Harold died on 18th of June 1918 of Erysipelas. Millie related the story that Harold had been badly gassed earlier but had been sent back into action before he had enough time to fully recover. She blamed his subsequent death on his poor health and his body's inability to fight off the infection that took his life. Harold died at No. 14 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, France and is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France. Erysipelas is a type of skin infection usually caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria. The bacteria may travel to the blood in some cases. This results in a condition called bacteremia. The infection may spread to the heart valves, joints, and bones. Erysipelas is now a treatable disease.

David Hawkin






  Pte. John Robert McDougall 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company

John McDougall was born on 2 April 1883 at Westville, Nova Scotia, son of Roderick and Katherine McDougall. The family moved to New Aberdeen, where Roderick, John and a brother were coal miners. John was working in a mine at Glace Bay when he enlisted in the 246th Battalion at Aldershot on 29th of August 1916. Upon arrival in England in June 1917, he was transferred into the 185th Battalion. When it was also broken up he was transferred into the 17th Reserve Battalion, then into No 3 Tunnelling Company on 25th of April 1918. He then went to France and served until being hospitalized at Boulogne with a hernia on 6 October 1918. He was sent back to England and returned home in March 1919.

Brian Tennyson






   John Hampton Stewart 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company. (d.14/7/1961)

John Hampton Stewart was attached to the 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company from 12/3/1917 to 14/5/1917. He then returned to the NZ forces 2nd Field Company NZ Engineers.

Tony Beard






  Spr. Arsene F. Cormier 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Coy (d.22nd October 1917)

Arsene Cormier is my grandmother's half brother from St. Joseph du Moine, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. My grandmother is Luce Chiasson. Her father Arsenne Chiasson died one year after she was born. Her mother remarried Fred Cormier - Arsene F. Cormier is their son.

Rhonda Poirier






  Sapper Arthur Frederick Chilcot att 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company

Arthur Chilcot joined the NZ Expeditionary Force on 24th of December 1915 and was posted as a rifleman to 4th Btn. 3rd NZ Rifle Brigade on 20th of June 1916. Arthur was detached to the 3rd Canadian Tunnellers on 4th of May 1917, and was wounded (gunshot wound right leg) on 7th of June 1917. Arthur was sent to convalesce in Codford, UK, until 15th of November 1917 where he was transferred as a Sapper to 5 (NZ) Light Railway Operating Section.

Lyle Holt






  Pte. George Wilkinson Snowdon 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company.

George Wilkinson Snowdon was my Grandfather, He left England to work in Canada. His attestation paper No. A24207 dated 25th Dec. 1915 records his army number as A424214 and was assigned to 45th Battalion Draft. On 19th July 1915 embarked to France to 5th battalion, then in Feb. 1916 attended 3rd Tunnelling Company and taken on strength on the 27th Jan. 1917.

George travelled to Canada in May 1913 From Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, County Durham, England. After the war he was given permission to marry my Grandmother Mable Alice Robson at Greenside on the 14th March 1919. He then returned to Seaford and was discharged from the Canadian Army on 2nd May 1919 in London. He returned to Greenside where he farmed on his own farm with his two sons Leslie and Ernest until his death on 6th March 1970.

Derek Snowdon






Recomended Reading.

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Beneath Flanders Fields: The Tunnellers War 1914-1918

Peter Barton, Peter Doyle & Johan Vandewalle


Whilst the war raged across Flanders fields, an equally horrifying and sometimes more dangerous battle took place underground. "Beneath Flanders Fields" tells the story of the tunnellers' war, which still remains one of the most misunderstood, misrepresented and mystifying conflicts of the Great War. A wealth of personal testimonies reveal the engineering, technology and science behind how this most intense of battles was fought - and won. They speak of how the tunnellers lived a relentless existence in the depths of the battlefield for almost two and a half years, enduring physical and mental stresses that were often more extreme than their infantry counterparts. Their lives were reduced to a complex war of silence, tension and claustrophobia, leading up to the most dramatic mine offensive in history launched on 7 June 1917 at Messines Ridge. Yet, Messines was not the end of their story, which continued with the crafting of a whole underground world of headquarters, cookhouses and hos
Underground Warfare 1914-1918

Simon Jones


Simon Jones's graphic history of underground warfare during the Great War uses personal reminiscences to convey the danger and suspense of this unconventional form of conflict. He describes how the underground soldiers of the opposing armies engaged in a ruthless fight for supremacy, covers the tunnelling methods they employed, and shows the increasingly lethal tactics they developed during the war in which military mining reached its apotheosis. He concentrates on the struggle for ascendancy by the British tunnelling companies on the Western Front. But his wide-ranging study also tells the story of the little known but fascinating subterranean battles fought in the French sectors of the Western Front and between the Austrians and the Italians in the Alps which have never been described before in English. Vivid personal testimony is combined with a lucid account of the technical challenges - and ever-present perils - of tunnelling in order to give an all-round insight into the extraord
More information on:

\image of book cover

Underground Warfare 1914-1918








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