Conditions in the Conditions in the Trenches in the First Trenches in the First

World WarWorld WarK HayK Hay

Conditions in the TrenchesConditions in the Trenches

MudMud Rats and LiceRats and Lice Disease and IllnessDisease and Illness FoodFood Daily RoutineDaily Routine Death and CasualtiesDeath and Casualties

Weather and MudWeather and Mud Mud was Mud was

everywhere. Mud everywhere. Mud penetrated boots, penetrated boots, mackintoshes and mackintoshes and overcoats. No-one overcoats. No-one could change their could change their clothes while they clothes while they were in front line were in front line trenchestrenches

Uniforms became filthy!Uniforms became filthy!Mud and the weather were as much an enemy as the Germans. Men had to put up with the most awful living conditions. Most of Northern France where the trenches were situated, was damp, low-lying countryside. The front line troops were seldom dry.

RatsRats Millions of rats infested

trenches. There were two main types, the brown and the black rat. Both were despised but the brown rat was especially feared.

Rats swarmed everywhere. They fed on leftover food and rotting bodies. By eating all the human remains (and disfiguring them by eating their eyes and liver) they could grow to the size of a cat!

LiceLice Because the men were dirty they became Because the men were dirty they became infestedinfested with body lice. Lice lived in warm with body lice. Lice lived in warm places on a soldier’s body. One soldier places on a soldier’s body. One soldier counted 103 lice crawling around his body counted 103 lice crawling around his body and in the seams of his vest and and in the seams of his vest and underpants. underpants.

They lived by They lived by suckingsucking bloodblood. Each louse . Each louse laid five eggs a day. The best way to kill a laid five eggs a day. The best way to kill a louse was by squashing it between thumb louse was by squashing it between thumb and finger. Another way to run a lighted and finger. Another way to run a lighted candle up and down the seams of clothes.candle up and down the seams of clothes.

Disease and IllnessDisease and Illness Soldiers suffered from a number of Soldiers suffered from a number of

diseases and illnesses: -diseases and illnesses: -

Trench FootTrench Foot Louse infestationsLouse infestations Trench MouthTrench Mouth Shell ShockShell Shock CholeraCholera

Mud led to amputation!Mud led to amputation!

It was almost impossible It was almost impossible for men to keep their feet for men to keep their feet dry in the dry in the muddymuddy trenches. trenches. The skin quickly went The skin quickly went wrinkly as it does if you are wrinkly as it does if you are in the bath too long. But in the bath too long. But then it died and the then it died and the flesh flesh went blackwent black and started to and started to rot. This was ‘rot. This was ‘trench foottrench foot’. ’. In extreme cases the flesh In extreme cases the flesh round the toes merged into round the toes merged into a stinking pulp. a stinking pulp. Amputation was the only Amputation was the only solution.solution.

It was impossible to keep It was impossible to keep clean at the front and clean at the front and clothes quickly became clothes quickly became louse infestedlouse infested. Soldiers were . Soldiers were said to be ‘chatty’ and spent said to be ‘chatty’ and spent hours ‘chatting’ or ‘hunting’ hours ‘chatting’ or ‘hunting’ lice and lice eggs in their lice and lice eggs in their clothes. The eggs were clothes. The eggs were often found in the seams. often found in the seams. The The kiltkilt had a big had a big disadvantage here as lice disadvantage here as lice loved living in its folds.loved living in its folds.

The lice caused horrible The lice caused horrible itchy sores especially around itchy sores especially around the neck, wrists and ankles.the neck, wrists and ankles.

Soldiers who had not Soldiers who had not brushed their teeth for brushed their teeth for days on end might days on end might suffer from suffer from trench trench mouthmouth. The . The symptoms were symptoms were painful – bleeding painful – bleeding gums, ulcers of the gums, ulcers of the mouth and throat and mouth and throat and very bad breath.very bad breath.

Shell shockShell shock was caused was caused by fear of the never by fear of the never ending artillery ending artillery bombardments, shells bombardments, shells whistling and screaming whistling and screaming in the air. Victims lost in the air. Victims lost control of their limbs. control of their limbs. Some foamed at the Some foamed at the mouth and became mouth and became incontinent. The effects incontinent. The effects of shell shock were of shell shock were often long lasting.often long lasting.

Drinking water was Drinking water was often hard to get at often hard to get at the front line and the front line and sometimes sometimes contaminated water contaminated water from shell holes was from shell holes was drunk causing drunk causing choleracholera epidemics. In the epidemics. In the GallipoliGallipoli campaign campaign more men died of more men died of disease than bullet disease than bullet wounds!wounds!

FoodFood Soldiers did not go Soldiers did not go

hungry unless hungry unless enemy action enemy action prevented supplies prevented supplies getting through.getting through.

Each soldier had a Each soldier had a food ration.food ration.

A Typical DietA Typical Diet BreadBread Hard BiscuitsHard Biscuits PorridgePorridge CheeseCheese Plum and Apple JamPlum and Apple Jam Maconochie StewMaconochie Stew Bully BeefBully Beef TeaTea Condensed MilkCondensed Milk RumRum

““With us food is pretty With us food is pretty scarce and none too scarce and none too good at that – turnips good at that – turnips cut into six pieces, cut into six pieces, unwashed carrot tops unwashed carrot tops – mouldy potatoes. – mouldy potatoes. The chief luxury is a The chief luxury is a thin rice soup with thin rice soup with little bits of beef, but little bits of beef, but they are cut up so they are cut up so small they are hard to small they are hard to find…”find…”Soldier on the Western FrontSoldier on the Western Front

The condition of the food was not a The condition of the food was not a priority!priority! To prepare his food To prepare his food

each soldier was issued each soldier was issued with a metal mess-tin. with a metal mess-tin.

Food was brought to the Food was brought to the front by ration parties. front by ration parties. If they came under If they came under attack they and the attack they and the food could fall into shell food could fall into shell holes full of filthy water holes full of filthy water and rotting bodies!and rotting bodies!

What did the soldiers think about the food?What did the soldiers think about the food? ““Wrapping loose Wrapping loose

rations such as tea, rations such as tea, cheese and meat was cheese and meat was not considered not considered necessary, all being necessary, all being tipped into a sandbag, tipped into a sandbag, a ghastly mix-up a ghastly mix-up resulting. In wet resulting. In wet weather their condition weather their condition was unbelievable…”was unbelievable…”George Coppard, Soldier on the George Coppard, Soldier on the Western FrontWestern Front

““Maconochie, a Maconochie, a ‘dinner in a tin’ was ‘dinner in a tin’ was my favourite and I my favourite and I could polish one off could polish one off with gusto, but the with gusto, but the usual share out was usual share out was one tin for four men…I one tin for four men…I don’t ever recollect don’t ever recollect receiving an apple or receiving an apple or an orange as part of an orange as part of my rations in France.”my rations in France.”A soldier on the Western FrontA soldier on the Western Front

Posters alwaysshowed menready and willingto fi ght.

They nevershowed theboredom of thetrenches oractual fightingtaking place.

Why do you thinkthe governmentshowed nofi ghting?

Daily RoutineDaily Routine

What were soldiers doing when they were not What were soldiers doing when they were not fighting?fighting?

1.1. A register was called at dawnA register was called at dawn2.2. Soldiers ate their breakfastSoldiers ate their breakfast3.3. Officers’ inspectionOfficers’ inspection4.4. Platoon sergeant gave out the dutiesPlatoon sergeant gave out the duties5.5. 1/3 of men sent on sentry duty1/3 of men sent on sentry duty6.6. 1/3 of men sent back up the communication 1/3 of men sent back up the communication

trenches for suppliestrenches for supplies7.7. 1/3 worked in the trenches, repairing them1/3 worked in the trenches, repairing them8.8. Day ends at dusk, when ration parties made their Day ends at dusk, when ration parties made their

way back with food, stores, parcels and lettersway back with food, stores, parcels and letters

A lot of activity happened at night…A lot of activity happened at night… Night in the trenches was a time of silence and Night in the trenches was a time of silence and

fear. It was also a time of activity. Men stationed fear. It was also a time of activity. Men stationed in listening posts out in in listening posts out in No-Man’s-LandNo-Man’s-Land gave early gave early warning of enemy activity, and passed it back to warning of enemy activity, and passed it back to front line trenches, so that the solders would be front line trenches, so that the solders would be prepared.prepared.

Raiding partiesRaiding parties went out at night to cut enemy went out at night to cut enemy wire before big battles.wire before big battles.

SnipersSnipers went out to kill enemy soldiers who raised went out to kill enemy soldiers who raised their heads above the parapet. They worked in their heads above the parapet. They worked in pairs with their faces blackened with coal and pairs with their faces blackened with coal and wore camouflaged suits.wore camouflaged suits.

Death and CasualtiesDeath and Casualties All the armies fighting All the armies fighting

on the Western Front on the Western Front were large; casualty were large; casualty figures were figures were enormous.enormous.

A lot of hospitals, A lot of hospitals, doctors and nurses doctors and nurses were needed to cope.were needed to cope.

What happened to wounded soldiers?What happened to wounded soldiers? At night, after a At night, after a

battle, stretcher battle, stretcher parties searched parties searched No-Man’s-Land for No-Man’s-Land for wounded men. wounded men. The stretcher The stretcher parties usually parties usually worked in the dark, worked in the dark, falling over dead falling over dead and rotting bodies.and rotting bodies.

Soldiers feared death…Soldiers feared death… All soldiers lived with All soldiers lived with

the sight, sound and the sight, sound and smell of the dead smell of the dead and the dying. The and the dying. The fear of death and of fear of death and of the death of friends the death of friends were amongst the were amongst the worst things a soldier worst things a soldier had to put up with.had to put up with.

Total Number of DeathsTotal Number of Deaths Britain lost 761,213 Britain lost 761,213

people in the war. people in the war. Most of these were Most of these were

men who died in men who died in trench warfare.trench warfare.