3. Explosions in France were heard in London
While the war raged on in the mud and trenches, a very different war was taking place underground. A group of miners, who operated in complete secrecy, dug tunnels up to 100ft underground to plant and detonate mines beneath the enemy's trenches.
Their biggest success was at Messines Ridge in Belgium where over 900,000lbs of explosives were simultaneously detonated in 19 underground tunnels.
Much of the German front line was destroyed, and the explosions were heard 140 miles away by the British Prime Minister in Downing Street, London.
The World war was not just fought by soldiers but also civilians who had little or no military training.
