Trench Warfare Note Pad

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life in trenches in world war i was different wherever you were on the battlefield. it took many forms, and was a complete and utter surprise to the thousands of soldiers enlisting in the war.

the name �great war� was given to this war before it had even begun. it was supposed to be a short war with great movement.although some movement did occur, the short part didn�t happen. there were long episodes of stalemates, and when the germans attempted to take over paris after concurring belgium and france, trench warfare set in.

deaths in trenches are common, even when no raid or attack is launched. many random shell bursts were launched upon soldiers serving in trenches, and mass burials were held for the great number who had died each time. also, you were warned not to glance over the top of the trenches into no man�s land.

other ways you could�ve died in the trenches is by a precisely aimed sniper�s bullet, even if you weren�t occupied with war at the moment and just lounging. it was estimated that one-third of the allies casualties were sustained in trenches. besides from the obvious injury from battle, disease also paid a big role in deaths.

rats. among the trenches, the rats came in two species; the brown and the black rat. there weren�t just one or two, but millions of rats. the brown rats were feared the most. they could grow to the size of a cat, and would feed on human remains (usually the eyes and the liver) which might be rest in the trenches.

men were terrified of these rats. when it was dark, rats would be so bold as to walk across their faces. men took action and started to kill these rodents by means of gunfire, bayonets, and clubbing. these attempts to control the rat population were futile, as a single rat could produce as many as 900 offspring each year. the rats remained for the duration of the war, and veteran soldiers would say that the rats could sense oncoming enemy fire and would disappear.

rats weren�t the only annoyance. lice were a never ending pest that would cause mean to itch inconsistently. lice loved the dirty environment of trenches, and took to breeding in dirty clothes. even after being watch, lice eggs would not be removed. lice were the cause of trench fever, which was a painful disease which caused severe pain and high fever, and that would remove you from battle for your twelve week recovery.

frogs were found in trenches with an abundance of water, while slugs and horned beetles lined the trenches. most men shaved their heads to avoid the trauma of knits and lice.

trench foot was a condition which, in some cases, caused one to have their feet amputated. it is a fungal infection to the feet caused by cold, wet and unsanitary conditions. trench foot was more vigorous at the commence of trench warfare, and substantially slowed in 1915 when trench conditions improved.

some chores that needed to be done in trenches are the refilling of sandbags the repairing of duckboards on the floor of the trenches, and draining of trenches. also, trenches were dug by hand, so this could�ve been considered a chore in the early days of trench warfare. boredom was an issue for many soldiers in trenches. enemy snipers were watching the lines at all times during daylight hours, so movement above the line was restricted until nightfall. so, soldiers took part in activities such as writing letters home, preparing meals, or catching up on their sleep.

but perhaps the worst part of trench warfare was the horrendous reek on the lines. this was caused by numerous factors. the hundreds of thousands of rotting carcasses would smell worse then anything you could ever imagine. latrines, which would overflow or not be emptied also would have an unpleasant aroma. the lack of soldiers in the line being able to clean themselves would also give off a disagreeable smell. creosol or chloride of lime were used to keep away disease and infection, and smelled repulsive. there were many other smells in the line, but these are by far, the worst.

living in trenches for a few years would bring out the worst in people, and i don�t know if i could do it. you wouldn�t get to shower, eat well, get a good sleep, or do anything. you would have to put up with the pursuit of lice, rats, and other horrid creatures. like most soldiers, i would think that the worst part of trench warfare is the smell.