1: Daily Death in the Trenches

Death was a constant companion to those serving in the line, even when no raid or attack was launched or defended against. In busy sectors the constant shellfire directed by the enemy brought random death, whether their victims were lounging in a trench or lying in a dugout (many men were buried as a consequence of such large shell-bursts). Similarly, novices (new soldiers) were cautioned against their natural inclination to peer over the parapet of the trench into No Man's Land. Many men died on their first day in the trenches as a consequence of a precisely aimed sniper's bullet. It has been estimated that up to one third of Allied casualties on the Western Front were actually sustained in the trenches. Aside from enemy injuries, disease wrought a heavy toll.

2: Rat Infestation
Rats in their millions infested trenches. There were two main types, the brown and the black rat. Both were despised but the brown rat was especially feared. Gorging themselves on human remains (grotesquely disfiguring them by eating their eyes and liver) they could grow to the size of a cat. Men, exasperated and afraid of these rats (which would even scamper across their faces in the dark), would attempt to rid the trenches of them by various methods: gunfire, with the bayonet, and even by clubbing them to death. It was futile however: a single rat couple could produce up to 900 offspring in a year, spreading infection and contaminating food. The rat problem remained for the duration of the war (although many veteran soldiers swore that rats sensed impending heavy enemy shellfire and consequently disappeared from view).

3: Frogs, Lice and Worse

Rats were by no means the only source of infection and nuisance. Lice were a never-ending problem, breeding in the seams of filthy clothing and causing men to itch unceasingly. Even when clothing was periodically washed and deloused, lice eggs invariably remained hidden in the seams; within a few hours of the clothes being re-worn the body heat generated would cause the eggs to hatch. Lice caused Trench Fever, a particularly painful disease that began suddenly with severe pain followed by high fever. Recovery - away from the trenches - took up to twelve weeks. Lice were not actually identified as the culprit of Trench Fever until 1918. Frogs by the score were found in shell holes covered in water; they were also found in the base of trenches. Slugs and horned beetles crowded the sides of the trench. Many men chose to shave their heads entirely to avoid another prevalent scourge: nits. 4: Trench Foot was another medical condition peculiar to trench life. It was a fungal infection of the feet caused by cold, wet and unsanitary trench conditions. It could turn gangrenous and result in amputation. Trench Foot was more of a problem at the start of trench warfare; as conditions improved in 1915 it rapidly faded, although a trickle of cases continued throughout the war.

5: Shell Shock
Between 1914 and 1918 the British Army identified 80,000 men (2% of those who saw active service) as suffering from shell-shock. Early symptoms included tiredness, irritability, giddiness, lack of concentration and headaches. Eventually the men suffered mental breakdowns making it impossible for them to remain in the front-line. Some came to the conclusion that the soldiers condition was caused by the enemy's heavy artillery. These doctors argued that a bursting shell creates a vacuum, and when the air rushes into this vacuum it disturbs the cerebro-spinal fluid and this can upset the working of the brain

6: And the Smell

Finally, no overview of trench life can avoid the aspect that instantly struck visitors to the lines: the appalling reek given off by numerous conflicting sources. Rotting carcases lay around in their thousands. For example, approximately 200,000 men were killed on the Somme battlefields, many of which lay in shallow graves.

Overflowing latrines would similarly give off a most offensive stench. Men who had not been afforded the luxury of a bath in weeks or months would offer the pervading odour of dried sweat. The feet were generally accepted to give off the worst odour. Trenches would also smell of creosol or chloride of lime, used to stave off the constant threat of disease and infection. Add to this the smell of cordite, the lingering odour of poison gas, rotting sandbags, stagnant mud, cigarette smoke and cooking food... yet men grew used to it, while it thoroughly overcame first-time visitors to the front.

1: Stand To and the Morning Hate

The daily routine of life in the trenches began with the morning 'stand to'. An hour before dawn everyone was roused from slumber by the company orderly officer and sergeant and ordered to climb up on the fire step to guard against a dawn raid by the enemy, bayonets fixed. This policy of stand to was adopted by both sides, and despite the knowledge that each side prepared itself for raids or attacks timed at dawn, many were actually carried out at this time. Accompanying stand to, as the light grew, was the daily ritual often termed the 'morning hate'. Both sides would often relieve the tension of the early hours with machine gun fire, shelling and small arms fire, directed into the mist to their front: this made doubly sure of safety at dawn.

2: Rum, Rifles and the Breakfast Truce

With stand to over, in some areas rum might then be issued to the men. They would then attend to the cleaning of their rifle equipment, which was followed by its inspection by officers. Breakfast would next be served. In essentially every area of the line at some time or other each side would adopt an unofficial truce while breakfast was served and eaten. This truce often extended to the wagons which delivered such sustenance. Truces such as these seldom lasted long; invariably a senior officer would hear of its existence and quickly stamp it out. Nevertheless it persisted throughout the war, and was more prevalent in quieter sectors of the line.

3:Inspection and Chores

With breakfast over the men would be inspected by either the company or platoon commander. Once this had been completed NCOs would assign daily chores to each man (except those who had been excused duty for a variety of reasons). Daily chores included the refilling of sandbags, the repair of the duckboards on the floor of the trench and the draining of trenches. Particularly following heavy rainfall, trenches could quickly accumulate muddy water, making life ever more miserable for its occupants as the walls of the trench rapidly became misshapen and were prone to collapse. Pumping equipment was available for the draining of trenches; men would also be assigned to the repair of the trench itself (click here to view brief film footage of British troops pumping water from trenches in 1914). Still others would be assigned to the preparation of latrines.

4: Daily Boredom
Given that each side's front line was constantly under watch by snipers and look-outs during daylight, movement was logically restricted until night fell. Thus, once men had concluded their assigned tasks they were free to attend to more personal matters, such as the reading and writing of letters home. Meals were also prepared. Sleep was snatched wherever possible although it was seldom that men were allowed sufficient time to grab more than a few minutes rest before they were detailed to another task.

5: Dusk: Stand To, Supply and Maintenance

With the onset of dusk the morning ritual of stand to was repeated, again to guard against a surprise attack launched as light fell. This over, the trenches became a hive of activity. Supply and maintenance activities could be undertaken, although danger invariably accompanied these as the enemy would be alert for such movement. Men would be sent to the rear lines to fetch rations and water (click here to view film footage of British soldiers receiving rations in 1914). Other men would be assigned sentry duty on the fire step. Generally men would be expected to provide sentry duty for up to two hours. Any longer and there was a real risk of men falling asleep on duty - for which the penalty was death by firing squad.

6: Patrolling No Man's Land

Patrols would often be sent out into No Mans Land. Some men would be tasked with repairing or adding barbed wire to the front line. Others however would go out to assigned listening posts, hoping to pick up valuable information from the enemy lines. Sometimes enemy patrols would meet in No Man's Land. They were then faced with the option of hurrying on their separate ways or else engaging in hand to hand fighting. They could not afford to use their handguns while patrolling in No Man's Land, for fear of the machine gun fire it would inevitably attract, deadly to all members of the patrol.

7: Relieving Men at the Front

Men were relieved front-line duty at night-time too. Relieving units would wind their weary way through numerous lines of communications trenches, weighed down with equipment and trench stores (such as shovels, picks, corrugated iron, duckboards, etc.). The process of relieving a line could take several frustrating hours.

The Trench Cycle

Typically, a battalion would be expected to serve a spell in the front line. This would be followed by a stint spent in support, and then in reserve lines. A period of rest would follow - generally short in duration - before the whole cycle of trench duty would start afresh. In reality the cycle was determined by the necessities of the situation. Even while at rest men might find themselves tasked with duties that placed them in the line of fire. Others would spend far longer in the front line than usual, usually in the more 'busy' sectors. As an example - and the numbers varied widely - a man might expect in a year to spend some 70 days in the front line, with another 30 in nearby support trenches. A further 120 might be spent in reserve. Only 70 days might be spent at rest. The amount of leave varied, with perhaps two weeks being granted during the year.

Diary of Thomas Frederick Littler

July 1st 1916 After having had our rum issue we stood to till 7-25a.m when we put up a smoke screen and went over the top at 7-30 with the London Scottish and Queens Westminster Rifles, we took four lines of trenches from the Germans, but were driven back by midday to our original position, our losses were very heavy although we took many prisoners, I could not attempt to write all that happened this day, so I'll leave a cutting from the paper here. The casualties from my Battalion were A Company 112, B Company 62, C Company 91, D Company 25, in my platoon we lost the following men Lieutenant Leigh, who had taken over from Lieut. Larne, was wounded the left arm blown off, Private Harry Wakefield, Private Wilfred Carter, killed, Private Jack White, Private Frank Walker, missing, and Private Harry Frodsham, Private Sam Mellor, and Private George Parker wounded, L-Cpl R Eaton, and L-Cpl Harry Carveley wounded, the following men died of wounds during the following week Sgt Piers, L-Cpl J Kinsey, and Private Albert Clarke, Private Jack Perrin, and Private Sidney Jones, we left the line this night being too weak in numbers to hold it, and got back to Souastre about 12-30 p.m. [newspaper cutting] July 2nd 1916 (Sunday) We rested all day, and many of us are still a little shaky. July 3rd 1916 We had a number of reinforcements sent to us, and paraded at 9-30 p.m and moved up the line to Foncquevillers a little to the north of Hebuterne and were billeted in cellars, turned out to work at 11-p.m and went up the trenches and in places we were waist deep in water, and at last got to the fire trench and went on top and put out 150yds of barbed wire and returned to billets at 4-30 in the morning.

July 4th 1916 Put another 150 yrds of barbed wire on the top and the trenches were still waist deep in water. July 5th 1916 Just the same as the day before. July 6th 1916 We were the only Platoon to go out working this night, and returned to billets 3 a.m in the morning. July 7th 1916 At 10 a.m we commenced an hours heavy strafe, and the Germans retaliated and shelled the village, at 2 p.m we went to the trenches and pumped water out till 7 p.m and had a night in for a rest. July 8th 1916 We worked again from 9 a.m till 12 noon pumping water away and at 9 p.m had to go and dig a trench 80 yds long and revet it with sandbags to hold the sides up, and returned at 4-30 in the morning. July 9th 1916 Paraded at 2 p.m and marched from Foncquevillers to Souastre and were swept by machine gun fire from a German airoplane, but we got back without a casualty. July 10th 1916 We did nothing in the morning but at 7 p.m we left Souastre and marched through Bayencourt, Sailly-Au-Bois to Hebuterne and mounted guard till 4 p.m on the 11th inst. July 12th 1916 We went to work at 2a.m 'til 10a.m deepening and widening 'Welcome St' C.T. this trench had been levelled by the bombardment of the 1st of July. July 13th 1916 Carried on with the same work as the day previous in the same trench. July 14th 1916 We worked in 'Wood St' C.T. at 2a.m to pump water out as this trench was waist deep in water, at 3-30a.m we opened out a very heavy strafe and we went to help the London Scottish to hold our front line. The enemy opened out a counter strafe and the London Scottish raided the enemy line at 4a.m returning with 25 prisoners, we left after 5a.m and at 7p.m we left Hebuterne and marched back to Souastre glad to get away. July 15th 1916 We got a full day's rest. July 16th 1916 We marched to Sailly-au-bois and commenced digging a dugout for the 169th Brigade Staff and at night had a memorial service for the chums we had lost lately.

July 17th 1916 We did same work as the day before, at night our Colonel presented a few Certificates for deeds on July 1st. July 18th 19th 1916 We worked on the roads in Bayencourt. July 20th 1916 Had a rest in the morning and proceeded to Hebuterne at 4p.m, arriving there at 7-30p.m, as we went a very round-about way as the enemy was shelling the roads for transport. July 21st 1916 We turned out to work at 2a.m til 10a.m in 'Wood St' C.T. and it was quiet, at 5a.m one of our airoplanes was hit and fell in our lines. July 22nd 1916 Worked same hours in 'Welcome St' C.T. revetting it. The time was quiet only at 'stand to' when we had a few Miniweffers over. July 23rd 1916 Same hours, same work, same trench as the day previous. July 24th 1916 Same hours, same work, same trench as before. July 25th 1916 Same as before, but at 5a.m one of our trench mortars was knocked out in 'New Welcome St', we were near support. July 26th 27th and 28th 1916 Same hours, same work, same trench as before. July 29th 1916 Working same as before but at 9a.m the Germans opened a heavy strafe on us and we had to seek safety in the cellar of a ruined house over our reserve line. July 30th 1916 Working same as before but at 11-30a.m a German airoplane was brought down by our machine gunners, he fell in our lines. July 31st 1916 One of our airoplanes was brought down by the Germans at 12 noon and working in 'New Welcome St' C.T. against the fire trench frontline some mangled bodies were dug up.

THE TRENCHES Endless lanes sunken in the clay, Bays, and traverses, fringed with wasted herbage, Seed-pods of blue scabious, and some lingering blooms; And the sky, seen as from a well, Brilliant with frosty stars. We stumble, cursing, on the slippery duck-boards. Goaded like the damned by some invisible wrath, A will stronger than weariness, stronger than animal fear, Implacable and monotonous. Here a shaft, slanting, and below A dusty and flickering light from one feeble candle And prone figures sleeping uneasily, Murmuring, And men who cannot sleep, With faces impassive as masks, Bright, feverish eyes, and drawn lips, Sad, pitiless, terrible faces, Each an incarnate curse. Here in a bay, a helmeted sentry Silent and motionless, watching while two sleep, And he sees before him With indifferent eyes the blasted and torn land Peopled with stiff prone forms, stupidly rigid, As tho' they had not been men. Dead are the lips where love laughed or sang, The hands of youth eager to lay hold of life, Eyes that have laughed to eyes, And these were begotten, O Love, and lived lightly, and burnt With the lust of a man's first strength: ere they were rent, Almost at unawares, savagely; and strewn In bloody fragments, to be the carrion Of rats and crows. And the sentry moves not, searching Night for menace with weary eyes. Frederic Manning

DULCE ET DECORUM EST

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs And towards our distant rest began to trudge. Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind. Gas!7 Gas! Quick, boys! An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling, And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . . Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. If in some smothering dreams you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori.

Wilfrid Owen (Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori is a latin phrase which means it is sweet and right to die for your country)

Table One: Look at the different photographs that are on this table. As you look at them, try to see what information they give you about the conditions faced by soldiers in the First World War Trenches. Try to examine the background in detail, try to see what the information it gives may say about the trenches. Table Two: Look at the different written sources (two poems and a diary). What information do they give about life in the trenches. Try to find things that support what you have already learned and try to find the really interesting/sad/informative details.

Table Three: Look at the different details of the trench systems. What are the key details? What agrees with what you already know about Trench Systems? What

Table Five: Look at these different dangers faced by the soldiers in the trenches. Can you categorise them? Can you decide which are the most important? What do they tell you about the different dangers faced?

Table Four: What do these pieces of information tell you about the daily routine of life in the trenches? What surprises you? What makes you think that it was difficult? How did their days vary/ stay the same?