WW1 TUNNELLING Companies - A B Clifford (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 23:44 (4198 days ago) @ HarryBrook

Hi Harry,
thanks for that. I hope you found the programme as interesting and touching as I did, a credit to all those concerned particularly the writer/presenter.

Has that photo been published in one of the Dean old photos books or similar ?. When I saw it the photo seemed very familiar to me but I couldn't think why ?; however at that second I was pondering the history of the company behind the mentioned Breathing Apparatus and wondering about their possible conflict of national roots (company was Siebe Gorman, invented first underwater diving helmets etc, and of German origin)).

Searching this site for AB Clifford shows he was one of the Bearers at the Funeral of the greatly-respected Doctor M.L. Bangara in 1927. He is mentioned in relation to the FoD St John Ambulance Association.
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/downloads/Stories_Articles/Dr_M_L_Bangara_Cinderford.pdf

PS Here's that photo and a brief mention of AB Clifford, clearly a man of considerable & deserved importance in the Mines Rescue field. It also describes in detail the working days of the WW1 Tunnellers.
http://www.healeyhero.co.uk/rescue/Collection/jl/WW1-1.htm

Further searching finds this excellent website which I'll enjoy studying in depth. It appears to be written by a descendant of AB Clifford and among many interesting things contains more details of his life and a few photos of his Dean Mines Rescue teams among others.
http://www.heroes-of-mine.co.uk/