The 2010 film 'Beneath Hill 60 ' tells the true story of a group of soldiers from the 1st Australian Tunnellers led by Captain Oliver Woodward CMG MC and 2 bars. In the movie, Woodward is portrayed by Brendan Cowell. He used to be a miner and metallurgist from New South Wales and had not joined up as countless other men from the area had done. He was seen to be needed to stay at home to help the war effort and as a result, he had been sent a number of white feathers. It was characteristic at the time for folk to give white feathers to those that they claimed to be yellow bellies.
Hill 60 can be found in the southern section of the Ypres Salient and that was not a natural feature. The hill is formed with soil dug away to provide a local train line cutting. A few serious battles took place at Hill 60 during both World War I and World War Ii. During one evening in 1915, 4 Victoria Crosses were granted as a German offensive was to all intents and purposes fought off.
The film concerns the action at the beginning of the Battle of Messines in 1917. 19 mines with close to 500k kilograms of explosives were fired prior to the start of the attack. The tale revolves round the exploits of Woodward and his men highlighting exactly what the tunneller corporations wanted to resist, part of war that gets little coverage.
Woodward is placed commanding a company and leads by example during the occurrence of the build up for the attack close to Ypres. The fighting starts in the small hours of the morning as Woodward fires the mine his men have spent the prior weeks putting in place and protecting.
Shortly after the war, Woodward goes back to Australia to be married to his young squeeze who had pleaded with him never to join the division.
'Beneath Hill 60 ' is a great movie which tells the story of among the most frightening sides of the Western Front. The tunnellers on either side had to work in hideous conditions knowing the enemy might be just feet away ready to either blow up their tunnel or break in and start firing.
Hill 60 can be found in the southern section of the Ypres Salient and that was not a natural feature. The hill is formed with soil dug away to provide a local train line cutting. A few serious battles took place at Hill 60 during both World War I and World War Ii. During one evening in 1915, 4 Victoria Crosses were granted as a German offensive was to all intents and purposes fought off.
The film concerns the action at the beginning of the Battle of Messines in 1917. 19 mines with close to 500k kilograms of explosives were fired prior to the start of the attack. The tale revolves round the exploits of Woodward and his men highlighting exactly what the tunneller corporations wanted to resist, part of war that gets little coverage.
Woodward is placed commanding a company and leads by example during the occurrence of the build up for the attack close to Ypres. The fighting starts in the small hours of the morning as Woodward fires the mine his men have spent the prior weeks putting in place and protecting.
Shortly after the war, Woodward goes back to Australia to be married to his young squeeze who had pleaded with him never to join the division.
'Beneath Hill 60 ' is a great movie which tells the story of among the most frightening sides of the Western Front. The tunnellers on either side had to work in hideous conditions knowing the enemy might be just feet away ready to either blow up their tunnel or break in and start firing.
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The battles on the Western Front during World War One were terrible and the area around Ypres saw some of the worst fighting
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