Benjamin Bonarius

Mr. Benjamin Bonarius, at present residing in Green Crescent, served during the 2^nd World War with The Armed Forces.

Benny enlisted at the age of 23 years in 1939. He worked at East Hetton Colliery at that time.

He joined the Durham Light Infantry but the Royal Engineers formed the 171^st, 172^nd, 174^th Tunnelling Company and he was transferred to this company. The Tunnelling Companies were made up of all miners From different parts of Britain. These companies were based at Chatham in Kent.

Benny went to France and his company were tunnelling near the Maginot Line. Sapper Bonarius was due to come home on leave in May 1940 but this was not possible because the Germans broke the Maginot Line and came into France. After this he and his comrades were mining bridges in Douie, France in an effort to stop the progress of the Germans.

He then went to Portsmouth where they made tunnels for combined operations. After being transferred to Plymouth they went on to Scotland and then to Gibraltar in 1943.Benny and his company using compressed air machines started tunnelling under the rock hotel. work started at both ends of the rock and took over a year to complete .The engineers had Italian prisoners of war working along side them. They named the tunnel "Fossway".The company then tunnelled into the rock to make storage places for petrol fuel. The debris from the rock was dumped into the sea and eventually made into an improved air strip for landing.

It then became too dangerous and Benny went through Belgium and on to Dunkirk. Benny and his colleagues got on to the last boat at Dunkirk and landed in Dover. He then went to Chester City. Their company then drove Tunnels under Dover Castle – it was all chalk.

Sapper Bonarius was transferred to Madrid and they guarded the German Embassy. Ben returned to Southampton in August 1945. He recalls he had 5,000 cigarettes in his Kitbag.

On his return to Coxhoe he sold them at 50 for 2 shillings. While on leave Ben married Winifred and had 60 years happy marriage. He was demobbed in March 1946 and returned to work at East Hetton Colliery.