LIFE IN THE TRENCHES.
Daily Death in the Trenches:
-Death in a trench was very common. People died even when there were no raids or attacks. Sometimes shellfires would be directed towards the trench and anyone lying there would be buried and become a victim of the huge shell-burst. Others died from peering over the parapet of the trench to see No Man's Land. Besides dying from injuries, some died from diseases.
Rat Infestation:
-Rats were a huge infestation in the trenches. Out of the two main types, the brown and the black, the brown rats were the most feared. These rats feasted on the decomposing remains of the deceased by munching on the eyeballs and liver. Some could even grow to the size of a cat. Even though a rat couple could breed about 900 offspring a year, men would try to vanish them by: shooting them, jabbing them with bayonets, or simply clubbing them till they died. This was a major problem because in their millions they could spread infections and contaminate the food.
Frogs, Lice, & Worse:
-Other than rats, frogs were found in shell holes covered in water and in the bases of the trenches. Slugs and horned beetles also took over the sides. Lice was a major problem, they bred in the seams of filthy clothing which caused men to itch non stop. These small bugs cause the disease Trench Fever. The worse part was that Trench Foot was unavoiadble in most cases since it was caused by cold, wet and unsanitary conditions. In some cases, a foot had to be amputed.
Patrolling No Man's Land:
-Patrols would be sent off to No Man's Land to repair or add barbed wire to the front line or be assigned to listening posts where they tried to pick up valuable information from the enemy. On occassion the patrols would have to engage in hand to hand fighting with the enemy.
Stand To and the Morning Hate:
-The morning 'stand to' was the daily routine in the trenches. Everyone was to awaken so they could prepare for the dawn raids from the enemy. Both sides did the same, and in the end the tension would relieved with machine gun fire directed towards the mist.
-Death in a trench was very common. People died even when there were no raids or attacks. Sometimes shellfires would be directed towards the trench and anyone lying there would be buried and become a victim of the huge shell-burst. Others died from peering over the parapet of the trench to see No Man's Land. Besides dying from injuries, some died from diseases.
Rat Infestation:
-Rats were a huge infestation in the trenches. Out of the two main types, the brown and the black, the brown rats were the most feared. These rats feasted on the decomposing remains of the deceased by munching on the eyeballs and liver. Some could even grow to the size of a cat. Even though a rat couple could breed about 900 offspring a year, men would try to vanish them by: shooting them, jabbing them with bayonets, or simply clubbing them till they died. This was a major problem because in their millions they could spread infections and contaminate the food.
Frogs, Lice, & Worse:
-Other than rats, frogs were found in shell holes covered in water and in the bases of the trenches. Slugs and horned beetles also took over the sides. Lice was a major problem, they bred in the seams of filthy clothing which caused men to itch non stop. These small bugs cause the disease Trench Fever. The worse part was that Trench Foot was unavoiadble in most cases since it was caused by cold, wet and unsanitary conditions. In some cases, a foot had to be amputed.
Patrolling No Man's Land:
-Patrols would be sent off to No Man's Land to repair or add barbed wire to the front line or be assigned to listening posts where they tried to pick up valuable information from the enemy. On occassion the patrols would have to engage in hand to hand fighting with the enemy.
Stand To and the Morning Hate:
-The morning 'stand to' was the daily routine in the trenches. Everyone was to awaken so they could prepare for the dawn raids from the enemy. Both sides did the same, and in the end the tension would relieved with machine gun fire directed towards the mist.
Rum, Riffles, and the Breakfast Truce:
-After the morning 'stand to' is over the men may be issued some rum. Then, the men would have to clean their riffles and equipment to be ready for the inspection. Breakfast would be served, and each side would adopt an unofficial truce.
Inspection and Chores:
-The daily chores that were assigned to the men would be: refilling of sandbags, the repair of the duckboards on the floor of the trench and the draining of the trenches. Some would repair the trench itself or the preparate the latrines.
Daily Boredom:
-When the troops were done with their daily chores and assignments they had some time to themselves. To pass time they would read or send letters home.
Dusk: Stand to, Supply and Maintenance:
-Every morning at dusk, the morning ritual 'stand to' happened and the guard against the enemy began. The day was filled with supply and maintenance activities. Men would be sent to fetch some water and rations. Some would be assigned sentry duty for up to two hours, and if they fell asleep while on the job they would face the penalty of death.
Reliveing Men at the Front:
-Relieving a line could take quite a while. It involved the units winding their way through lines of communuication trenches, weigh down with equipment, and trench store. Men we're relieved of front-line duty during the night.
The Smell...:
-The smell in a trench was given off from many things. It came from the rotting flesh of a carcass, the overflow of latrines, most men couldn't shower so their sweat and body odor was the worst. Then there was the smell of cordite, poison gas, rotting sandbags, mud, cigarette smoke, and cooking food. It was suprising how the men grew used to the fumes.
-After the morning 'stand to' is over the men may be issued some rum. Then, the men would have to clean their riffles and equipment to be ready for the inspection. Breakfast would be served, and each side would adopt an unofficial truce.
Inspection and Chores:
-The daily chores that were assigned to the men would be: refilling of sandbags, the repair of the duckboards on the floor of the trench and the draining of the trenches. Some would repair the trench itself or the preparate the latrines.
Daily Boredom:
-When the troops were done with their daily chores and assignments they had some time to themselves. To pass time they would read or send letters home.
Dusk: Stand to, Supply and Maintenance:
-Every morning at dusk, the morning ritual 'stand to' happened and the guard against the enemy began. The day was filled with supply and maintenance activities. Men would be sent to fetch some water and rations. Some would be assigned sentry duty for up to two hours, and if they fell asleep while on the job they would face the penalty of death.
Reliveing Men at the Front:
-Relieving a line could take quite a while. It involved the units winding their way through lines of communuication trenches, weigh down with equipment, and trench store. Men we're relieved of front-line duty during the night.
The Smell...:
-The smell in a trench was given off from many things. It came from the rotting flesh of a carcass, the overflow of latrines, most men couldn't shower so their sweat and body odor was the worst. Then there was the smell of cordite, poison gas, rotting sandbags, mud, cigarette smoke, and cooking food. It was suprising how the men grew used to the fumes.
Rats in trenches
