A special medallion that commemorates the Tunnellers Companies of World War I has been presented to the Sir Edgeworth David Memorial Museum at Abermain.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Towns With Heart handed over the medallion last week in line with Remembrance Day commemorations.
The medallion was struck by the Australian War Memorial to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tunnellers Companies.
Towns With Heart secretary Sharon Dyson-Smith said many of the tunnellers were miners from the collieries of the our local area.
"The work that they did tunnelling under the German Lines, often in complete silence, made a huge impact on the German advances," she said.
"When the tunnels, that the 1st Australian Tunnellers Company had dug, were exploded at Hill 60, near Messines in Belgium, 30 of the Australian miners were killed. This medallion commemorates their sacrifice.
"The explosion at Hill 60 is said to be the world's largest explosion - about one million tonnes of explosives were detonated simultaneously. The Germans lost more than 10,000 men and another 7,500 were taken prisoner."
Edgeworth David Memorial Museum secretary Lexie Matthews said the medallion was a wonderful addition to their collection.
"It will be displayed with pride, knowing that most of the Tunnellers Companies were men from the Coalfields," she said.
A similar medallion will be presented to the Kurri Kurri RSL Sub-Branch to assist with the expansion of its World War I collection.
Towns With Heart and the Edgeworth David Museum once again collaborated on "planting" a river of poppies in Col Brown Rotary Park on Remembrance Day, and exhibition of the Lost Diggers of Weston at Abermain Bowling Club. Both of the events were well-received by the general public.
