With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

France reveals British WWI cave camp

France has reopened a labyrinth of medieval quarries under the northern town of Arras which the British army converted into an underground hideout for 24,000 soldiers during World War I. The BBC's Emma Jane Kirby went to investigate.

Eighteen metres (60ft) underground and immediately I'm cold, slightly unnerved by the dimness of the light and very uncomfortable as the chalky ceilings constantly drip freezing water on my head.

Although these secret caves were a huge step up from the horror of the World War I trenches, this was no cushy billet either.

Used briefly as an air raid shelter in World War II, the caves were sealed and largely forgotten about. But now they are a museum.
Read entire article at BBC