Life In The Trenches

Trenches began as nothing more that shallow holes dug by men wishing to protect themselves. Wherever soldiers met the enemy, they would begin to dig in. By digging in, the men presented less of a target to the enemy. Trenches were constructed regardless of what was in the way, even if it included an old cemetery.

Trenches took many shapes, sizes and forms throughout the war. Some armies were very particular about how the trenches looked and were taken care of. The German army had the luxury of picking were their trenches were sited because they could retreat to good positions. They naturally selected hills and ridges that allowed them a good view of the surrounding countryside. As the war progressed and the trench lines did not move, the German army spent time building deep concrete bunkers for their men.

The philosophy of the Allies was somewhat different about keeping the trenches permanent. The British army for example believed that if their men were too comfortable, they would lose the desire to attack the enemy. What the generals did not realize was that the Germans had taken the best places for trenches. This meant that the Allied forces were forced to live near the bottom of hills or in place where the Germans could see their every move. As an example of the problem facing the Allies, the heavy rains that occur before winter in France caused tremendous suffering. The rain that fell upon the hills would run down and fill the trenches. This led to a number of ailments for the men forced to stand in the mud and water.

In general, a trench was about eight to ten feet deep (two meters) and eight to ten feet wide (two meters). There were a number of variations that men would create within their own piece of the trench. These included "funk holes" as places to sleep. The men would carve shallow pits into the side of the trench wall to create a home.
The front line trench had the very important fire step carved into the side of the trench. This allowed soldiers to stand up and see over the parapet to shoot.

There were usually three lines of trenches along the front. The first trench facing no mans land was called the front line. The front line would be connected with communication trenches to move men and equipment forward without exposing them. The second line was referred to as the support trench. This would be used if the enemy successfully occupied the front line. The third trench was referred to as the reserve trench.

MULTIMEDIA

Click HERE to see a view of trenches from the top and why they were built the way they were.
Click HERE to see a side view of trenches and how they were fought from by soliders.