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First World War: The British Army detonated 19 ammonal mines under German lines, killing perhaps 10,000 in the deadliest non-nuclear man-made explosion in history during the Battle of Messines.
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World War I
1914–1918 global conflict
World War I or the First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Central Powers. Main areas of conflict included Europe and the Middle East, as well as parts of Africa and the Asia-Pacific. There were important…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
British Army
Land warfare force of the United Kingdom
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom. As of 1 January 2025, the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Gurkhas, 25,742 volunteer reserve personnel and 4,697 "other personnel", for a total of 108,413.Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Mines in the Battle of Messines (1917)
Detonation of explosives by British forces
Several underground explosive charges were fired during the First World War at the start of the Battle of Messines (7–14 June 1917). The battle was fought by the British Second Army and the German 4th Army near Mesen in Belgian West Flanders. The mines, secretly planted and…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Battle of Messines (1917)
Part of the Western Front in World War I
The Battle of Messines was an attack by the British Second Army, on the Western Front, near the village of Messines in West Flanders, Belgium, during the First World War. The Nivelle Offensive in April and May had failed to achieve its more grandiose aims, had led to the…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)