What it was Like In the Trenches
•Trench warfare was mainly in World War I. It was a method of fighting in which opposing armies dug trenches for protection and defense. During World War I, there were an estimated 2,490 km of trenches throughout western Europe. Most trenches were about 3 meters deep and between 1 and 2 meters wide.
Life in the trenches was extremely hard, as well as dangerous. Most soldiers spent between a day and 2 weeks in a trench on the front line before being relieved.
•Sanitary conditions in the trenches were poor and many soldiers suffered from gangrene and cholera. Often, dead bodies were simply left out in the open rather than buried.
Trenches usually flooded fast during heavy rain and one of the jobs they had was to drain water with a pump. Other jobs included refilling sandbags and repairing the wooden flooring.
Rats, which could grow as large as cats, were also a big problem in the trenches. Frogs, spiders and lice were also pests that the soldiers had to battle daily. One of the worst things about life in the trenches was the horrible smell. Many men did not bathe for weeks, and the trenches also smelled of rotting sandbags, cigarette smoke and poison gas.
It was difficult to sleep properly in the trenches because of the noise and uncomfortable surroundings. As a result, because men were tired and constantly in danger of falling asleep while on watch, the watch was kept to 2 hours.
Life in the trenches was extremely hard, as well as dangerous. Most soldiers spent between a day and 2 weeks in a trench on the front line before being relieved.
•Sanitary conditions in the trenches were poor and many soldiers suffered from gangrene and cholera. Often, dead bodies were simply left out in the open rather than buried.
Trenches usually flooded fast during heavy rain and one of the jobs they had was to drain water with a pump. Other jobs included refilling sandbags and repairing the wooden flooring.
Rats, which could grow as large as cats, were also a big problem in the trenches. Frogs, spiders and lice were also pests that the soldiers had to battle daily. One of the worst things about life in the trenches was the horrible smell. Many men did not bathe for weeks, and the trenches also smelled of rotting sandbags, cigarette smoke and poison gas.
It was difficult to sleep properly in the trenches because of the noise and uncomfortable surroundings. As a result, because men were tired and constantly in danger of falling asleep while on watch, the watch was kept to 2 hours.
A Typical day in the Trenches went something like this....
A soldier in the trenches would begin his day about one hour before sun came up with morning "Stand too" he would be woken up an sent to the "Fire step" (with his bayonet attached to his rifle) and put on guard duty in case of a dawn raid from the enemy. Dawn raids were common in the trenches from both sides.
As daylight broke over the trenches, machine guns, Shells, and even some hand guns would be fired toward the enemy lines. This was thought by most as a weapons test but others were of the opinion that it was a way for the soldiers to relieve some of the stress that was building up in side them. The first hour of daylight became known as "The morning Hate" by the men in the trenches.
After the morning "Stand too" the soldiers would be issued with a drink of rum before they cleaned their weapons before the morning inspection by senior officers.
When the inspection was over it was time for breakfast. Unofficially breakfast time in the trenches was a time of cease fire, both sides became to respect for most of the time. The truce was broken on some occasions, usually when a senior officer new to the trenches heard about it and ordered the men to open fire on enemy lines.
After breakfast the soldiers would face an inspection by their commanding officer, then completed the daily chores, each man would be given a specific chore.
Daily chores included the refilling of sandbags, the repair of the duckboards on the floor of the trench or the draining of trenches, repairing the trenches and preparing the latrines.
At dusk, the Stand-To-Arms is repeated again, because it was thought that enemies launched surprise attacks at dusk and dawn. Afterwards, supply and maitenance duties were undertaken, such as the fetching of rations and water, or the patrol of No Man's Land. Some soldiers were put on sentry duty: standing on the fire step of the trench and observing the enemy.
At night-time, the army might rotate their troops. This process could take several hours