▁Company ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁Also ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁a ▁German ▁inf antry ▁attack , ▁which ▁forced ▁the ▁British ▁back ▁, ▁was ▁aim ed ▁at ▁neutral ising ▁British ▁min ing ▁activity ▁by ▁capt uring ▁the ▁sh aft ▁ent ran ces . ▁From ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁however , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁with d rew ▁many ▁min ers ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁H inden burg ▁Line ▁and ▁also ▁for ▁work ▁in ▁coal ▁mines ▁in ▁Germany . ▁In ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁the ▁British ▁constructed ▁strong ▁def ensive ▁under ground ▁positions , ▁and ▁from ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁the ▁ ▁Royal ▁Engine ers ▁developed ▁a ▁min ing ▁scheme ▁to ▁support ▁a ▁large - scale ▁inf antry ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁V im y ▁R idge ▁proposed ▁for ▁aut umn ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁although ▁this ▁was ▁subsequently ▁post pon ed . ▁After ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁when ▁the ▁Royal ▁Engine ers ▁had ▁completed ▁their ▁network ▁of ▁def ensive ▁gall eries ▁along ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁front ▁line , ▁off ensive ▁min ing ▁largely ▁ceased ▁although ▁activities ▁continued ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁The ▁British ▁gallery ▁network ▁beneath ▁V im y ▁R idge ▁eventually ▁grew ▁to ▁a ▁length ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁The ▁Canadian ▁Corps ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁the ▁northern ▁part ▁of ▁V im y ▁R idge ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁an ▁attack ▁were ▁rev