Life in the Trenches!
Life in the trenches World War One
What was basic life like in the trenches?
Life in the trenches for the people involved inWorld War One was horrible. The trenches were running together in an ‘S’
shape 475 miles long, they were 2 meters deep by two meters wide. The trenches had a lot of barbed wire in front
guarding the soldiers from the enemy at all times, they would take turns on
the front line usually having 8 soldiers on guard and 4 soldiers
off. A lot of the trenches were shared with rats that grew up to the size of rats and so that would carry
all sorts of diseases around the trench areas.
What were their daily routines?
The daily routines in the trenches for soldiers were regularly rotated
through a basic sequence: fighting in the front line, followed by a
period of time in the reserve or support line, then later, a brief rest period.
The soldiers would rotate between the three lines: the front line, the support
line, and the reserve line, and then spend a short period in rest, before beginning the cycle again. The time spent
in each section varied from sector to sector, depending on how busy each
sector is, most of the time the soldiers spent their time at the front line
and less time at support and rest.
What were their food options?
Unfortunately, soldiers did not have the luxury of hot meals during the
majority of the war; they were mostly just stuck with foods out of cans, and
tins. If the soldier could afford it they may have been able to get
some rum or maybe get a few packet foods from the Red Cross Foundation. At most
times, however, soldiers had to rely on what they had, typically stale crackers
and unappetizing salted meat.
What did they do in their spare time?
For the troops not serving on the front lines, boredom was a common element. Sometimes, they had many chores to keep them
occupied: filling sandbags, mending barbed wires, and rebuilding trenches after explosions.
Although the soldiers were often bored, they would often not allow themselves to sleep, and sleep deprivation was very common. They
had to be on the lookout for constant bombardments, and, if you were caught
asleep by your commanding officer, you would be severely punished. Other distractions from the tedium of troop life included the
rotation of troops, cleaning your weapon, daily inspections, and mining. Many soldiers also had
a bit of leisure time, in which they could play cards, read and write letters to and from home.
Soldiers Letters
Letters were a big part of one soldier’s life while living in the trenches. Receiving
and writing them helped keep them sane, and could take them away from the horrors of trench
life. Every week, an average of 12.5 million letters was sent
to soldiers by family, friends, and girlfriends. In writing letters, soldiers
would often conceal the horrors of trench warfare. For others, the horrors would
be their inspiration, and some soldiers would write poetry and narratives in the
trenches, about how life is like.
What was basic life like in the trenches?
Life in the trenches for the people involved inWorld War One was horrible. The trenches were running together in an ‘S’
shape 475 miles long, they were 2 meters deep by two meters wide. The trenches had a lot of barbed wire in front
guarding the soldiers from the enemy at all times, they would take turns on
the front line usually having 8 soldiers on guard and 4 soldiers
off. A lot of the trenches were shared with rats that grew up to the size of rats and so that would carry
all sorts of diseases around the trench areas.
What were their daily routines?
The daily routines in the trenches for soldiers were regularly rotated
through a basic sequence: fighting in the front line, followed by a
period of time in the reserve or support line, then later, a brief rest period.
The soldiers would rotate between the three lines: the front line, the support
line, and the reserve line, and then spend a short period in rest, before beginning the cycle again. The time spent
in each section varied from sector to sector, depending on how busy each
sector is, most of the time the soldiers spent their time at the front line
and less time at support and rest.
What were their food options?
Unfortunately, soldiers did not have the luxury of hot meals during the
majority of the war; they were mostly just stuck with foods out of cans, and
tins. If the soldier could afford it they may have been able to get
some rum or maybe get a few packet foods from the Red Cross Foundation. At most
times, however, soldiers had to rely on what they had, typically stale crackers
and unappetizing salted meat.
What did they do in their spare time?
For the troops not serving on the front lines, boredom was a common element. Sometimes, they had many chores to keep them
occupied: filling sandbags, mending barbed wires, and rebuilding trenches after explosions.
Although the soldiers were often bored, they would often not allow themselves to sleep, and sleep deprivation was very common. They
had to be on the lookout for constant bombardments, and, if you were caught
asleep by your commanding officer, you would be severely punished. Other distractions from the tedium of troop life included the
rotation of troops, cleaning your weapon, daily inspections, and mining. Many soldiers also had
a bit of leisure time, in which they could play cards, read and write letters to and from home.
Soldiers Letters
Letters were a big part of one soldier’s life while living in the trenches. Receiving
and writing them helped keep them sane, and could take them away from the horrors of trench
life. Every week, an average of 12.5 million letters was sent
to soldiers by family, friends, and girlfriends. In writing letters, soldiers
would often conceal the horrors of trench warfare. For others, the horrors would
be their inspiration, and some soldiers would write poetry and narratives in the
trenches, about how life is like.