At 0310hrs on 7 June 1917, the pre-dawn gloom on the Western Front was shattered by the'pillars of fire'-the rapid detonation of 19 huge mines, secreted in tunnels under the German lines and containing 450 tonnes of explosives. The devastating blasts destroyed the German front lines, causing thousands of casualties. Launching a pre-planned attack into the carnage, supported by tanks and a relentless artillery barrage, the British captured the strategic objective of Messines Ridge within hours. This rare example of innovation and operational success in World War I set the strategic scene for the Allied offensive that followed, the infamous battle of Third Ypres or Passchendaele.

Full colour battlescenes ■ Illustrations ■ 3-dimensional'bird's-eye-views' ■ Maps