Wieltje Dugout

Trench Map. Showing Wieltje village and location of the dugout

The dugout located under the village road at Wieltje had the name ‘Hades’ (after the Greek God of the underworld) and it was located, according to the Canadian Field Ambulance War Diary, at C28 B.3.7 which places it under or next to Admirals Road.

War Diary sketch showing the underground chambers. They follow the foot print of the building above

The very extensive dugout constructed under the village road was served by at least two vertical shafts, one access and one for ventilation and a number of inclined stairways. It provided accommodation for troops and access to a number of machine gun positions located just behind the British front line. The dugout was started by 177 Tunnelling Company and was then handed over to 250 Tunnelling Company when 177 was transferred to 5th Army prior to Third Ypres. The dugout was then completed by 250 Tunnelling Company. The dugout is, in the main, located under the road running through the village but the chambers mirror the houses above.

Weekly mining report 177 Tunnelling Company, R.E.

Battalion Headquarters established at Wieltje dug-out described by Sergeant W G Bromley as: ‘a vast underground excavation containing dozens of passages, nooks and corners, in which a considerable number of troops were quartered. It was exceptionally deep, and although relatively secure from shellfire, I for one would have preferred a less vulnerable shelter and more fresh air.’ Private Herd of the same battalion described the dug-out as a ‘marvel of engineering’ and: ‘From the bottom of an ordinary village well saps were run in various directions and at intervals along these spas (about 31/2 feet wide) there were good-sized ‘rooms’ used by the various H.Q.’s etc In one of these rooms there was installed an oil engine which generated an electric dynamo providing electricity and working water pumps. Access to the Dug-out was made through 4 or 5 gradually sloping tunnels.’ At the height of the Battle of Third Ypres the dug-out accommodated several hundred wounded waiting for transportation down the line.

The house with the black roof sits on the entrance on Admirals Road. View along the main street of the village.

View along Admiral's Road and the entrance site of the dugout with the house built on top