THE DURAND GROUP

The Goodman subway was one of fourteen subways dug during late 1916 and early 1917 to support the Allied attack on Vimy Ridge and its environs on 9 April 1917. These subways allowed troops to move forward to their attack positions before the start of the attack, under cover and out of sight of the enemy and safe from attack they waited to move into the trenches as soon as the first wave went over the top. The requirement for covered subways to provide troops with protection had been learnt largely as a result of the first day of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. Then a significant proportion of the British Casualties had been caused before the troops had reached their own front line through the need to use crowded and vulnerable communication trenches, or in some cases, open ground.

Accounts from Tunnelling Officer record that "all subways had ample head cover, and were most elaborate - containing accommodation for Brigade and Battalion Headquarters, dugouts, assembly chambers, signal offices, bomb and ammunition stores, dressing stations complete with operating table, water tanks and water bottle filling point, kitchens and latrines. Numerous exits gave access to support, front and assembly trenches, while others came to the surface in No Man's Land. Signal cables were run through and into the mining system to link via inclines with other units, thus uninterrupted communication could be maintained with units on either flank…".

The Subways were an essential component of the battle plan for the assault on Vimy Ridge and the Goodman subway also had a Wombat mine located at the far end, when this was fired it provided a deep trench across No Man's Land  that connected directly into the subway.  Thus runners and communication lines had some protection from artillery when carrying messages.

As part of work undertaken to evaluate the general safety of the Canadian National Memorial at Vimy Ridge, France the Durand Group assisted the Canadian authorities in evaluating the underground features located within the Canadian Site. As part of the work, the Durand Group undertook investigation of the Goodman subway in May 2000 with subsequent follow up work being carried out over successive years.

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