100 years ago

To the north of Ypres the state of the ground had rendered all action impossible. A colonel wrote:

“The ground over which we are fighting is shocking. The surface for 50 centimetres down is fairly good, but below this is mud, and nothing but mud. The men in the saps or trenches from one metre to one metre 50 centimetres deep, are particularly unable to get out of them, and they sink in gradually until it takes several men to get them out.

The bravest men when ordered to leave the trenches are unable to drag themselves out of the mud. On this saturated soil our soldiers are giving endless proofs of endurance and devotion.

On one occasion a battalion of Chasseurs, owing to the state of the ground, for two days could not be relieved or revictualled, but a battalion of infantry nearby gave up part of their own share of provisions to their destitute comrades.”

 

50 years ago

Noah, in the shape of a white-bearded John Huston, had been watching more than two thousand animals enter his ark during shooting of the film The Bible which Mr Huston was directing in Rome.

Kangaroos, Emus, Dingoes, Llamas, Dromedaries, Hippopotami and scores of other breeds of animals and birds had been proceeding two by two into a 200ft long wooden ark since shooting of the film’s Noah sequences began two days before.

But not every animal species in the world would be represented on board. Four anteaters sent from the United States had died on the way.

 

25 years ago

Eurotunnel, the company set up to develop and operate the Channel Tunnel, was involved in crisis talks with its bankers in an effort to keep alive the project.

Cost estimates had soared from the original £4.87 billion in November 1987 to more than £7 billion and negotiations were called to persuade the banks to keep their funds flowing. Doubts were cast over their willingness to continue support after a row erupted between Eurotunnel and Transmanche Link, the Anglo-French consortium of 10 construction companies building the tunnel.

The dispute centred on who should pay for the increasing cost of the work caused by unforeseen building problems, high interest rates and inflation. Eurotunnel announced the latest cost estimates in October but Transmanche believed the price should be even higher. Negotiations had continued since and escalated over the weekend as today’s deadline approached for agreement with the banks.

However, construction industry observers thought it highly unlikely the half-built tunnel, due to open in June 1993, could now be mothballed.