What was life like in the trenches in ww1?

What was life like in the trenches in ww1?

Trench life involved long periods of boredom mixed with brief periods of terror. The threat of death kept soldiers constantly on edge, while poor living conditions and a lack of sleep wore away at their health and stamina.

Why was life hard in the trenches?

Life in the trenches was very difficult because they were dirty and flooded in bad weather. Many of the trenches also had pests living in them, including rats, lice, and frogs. Cold weather was dangerous too, and soldiers often lost fingers or toes to frostbite. Some soldiers also died from exposure in the cold.

How was life in the trenches boring?

Chores were a dreary fact of life in the trenches. Each man would be given his specific tasks, from repairing portions of the trench, to digging latrines, to filling sandbags. It was hard, filthy, tiring work, especially if it involved pumping out any water which had happened to flood the trench.

What did the trenches smell like?

The trenches were dirty. Some men disappeared into the mud because it was so thick. The cold, wet and unsanitary conditions made many soldiers sick. There was also the lingering odour of poison gas, and the smells of cordite, rotting sandbags, stagnant mud, cigarette smoke, and cooking food.

Did trenches have toilets?

These latrines were trench toilets. They were usually pits dug into the ground between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres deep. Two people who were called sanitary personnel had the job of keeping the latrines in good condition for each company.

How did soldiers cope with life in the trenches?

To counteract this, busy routines were put in place, ensuring that trenches were repaired, men supplied, and all was ready for the long, wakeful nights (daytime was usually too dangerous for major activity). Soldiers could also comfort themselves with the knowledge of the inefficiency of most First World War weaponry.

What does living in the trenches mean?

: a place or situation in which people do very difficult work These people are working every day down in the trenches to improve the lives of refugees.

How do you keep the trenches clean and healthy?

How To Keep Clean And Healthy In The Trenches

  1. Drink clean water. Equipment.
  2. Drink clean water. Drinking water was transported to front line trenches in petrol cans.
  3. Take medicine. Equipment.
  4. Take medicine.
  5. Chatting.
  6. Chatting.
  7. Get a pet.
  8. Get a pet.

Did soldiers eat rats in ww1?

With no proper disposal system the rats would feast off food scraps. The rats grew bigger and bolder and would even steal food from a soldier’s hand. But for some soldiers the rats became their friends. They captured them and kept them as pets, bringing a brief reprisal from the horror which lay all around.

What did they eat in the trenches?

The bulk of their diet in the trenches was bully beef (caned corned beef), bread and biscuits. By the winter of 1916 flour was in such short supply that bread was being made with dried ground turnips. The main food was now a pea-soup with a few lumps of horsemeat.

What was trench life like in World War 1?

There was nothing glamorous about trench life. World War 1 trenches were dirty, smelly and riddled with disease. For soldiers life in the trenches meant living in fear. In fear of diseases (like cholera and trench foot) and of course, the constant fear of enemy attack.

What food did they eat in World War 1 trenches?

Bean soup and bread,followed by treacle pudding.

  • Toad-in-the-hole and potatoes.
  • Mutton stew and suet pudding.
  • Fish and potato pie,then baked raisin pudding.
  • What caused trench warfare?

    Trench foot. Trench foot is a medical condition caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary, and cold conditions. It is one of many immersion foot syndromes . The use of the word trench in the name of this condition is a reference to trench warfare, mainly associated with World War I.

    How did trench warfare change WW1?

    Wars before had mainly been head-on open battles, to tactics had to be changed. A common tactic of attack was to attack at dawn or dusk, when visibility was poorer. The other main tactic was to bombard the enemy trenches with artillery, then to send soldiers to attack the enemies’ trenches,…

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