Page 60 - All About History - Issue 33-15

Entente trenches, the Western Front, 1914-18

FIG.01

Did You Know?

f you find yourself sinking calf-deep into Firing trenches
zigzag so that
muddy sludge and look around to see you enemies can’t shoot
are standing in a narrow open-air corridor down their length
Iformed of walls of compacted mud, you
are, unmistakably, in a World War I trenc
Despite the incredibly basic conditions he
constant gunfire and shells to and from t
other side of the battlefield, and the threa
of no man’s land just over the walls, alm Pull your weight. Even rest time Take off your helmet. If you are
nine out of every ten soldiers posted to t is occupied with maintenance lucky enough to have a steel
trenches will survive. However, millions duties, as labour is in short supply helmet, keep it on at all times to
will die on Europe’s Western Front, and at the front. Shirking these duties will lead lessen the impact of shrapnel and other
there will be particularly immense losses to punishment. things falling from above into the trench.
violent days such as the beginning of th
Battle of the Somme. However, if you are Prepare for the worst. If the call Get nibbled by rats. Rats are rife
lucky enough to avoid these life-threaten comes to go over the top, you in the trenches, and any food left
situations, you could just make it back to must be psychologically and unattended will be snatched.
Blighty in one piece. physically ready. Ensure your fitness is at a While shooting rats is prohibited (it wastes
high level and your weapons are in full ammunition), you can use a bayonet if
WHERE TO STAY working order. you’re fast enough.

Arriving in the trenches, one thing goes Brush up on card games. Neglect your weapons. Part of
without saying: for the best chance of Although downtime is in short the daily chores in the trench,
making it out alive, avoid going ‘over the supply, card games are a popular rifles need to be cleaned using
There are three levels of trench: the fron way to pass the time. Gambling games like ‘pull-throughs’ – a device that is used like a
support and reserve trench. Ideally, you’l ‘Crown and Anchor’, though officially pipe-cleaner, made of cord and weighted
havearrivedinthereserve,butevenify banned, are played often. on one end.
have been lucky, you could find yourself
thefrontlineverysoon;eachtrenchish Holdontothatdebris.‘Trench Forget to write home. Write to
to soldiers for about a week at a time. If art’ is an unusual phenomenon your loved ones as often as you
want to get some sleep, it’s safest during that helps occupy soldiers and can; their replies will only take
day, down in one of the shelter dugouts. gives a creative outlet. Pick up that shell two days to reach you. You could also
nightisusedforobservingtheenemyu caseandturnitintoavaseortobaccojar. receive parcels, with food and provisions.
coverofdarkness.
60