Trench Warfare

EQ: What was trench

warfare and were problems
in the trenches?

Chapter 13
The Great War:
1914 - 1918
Trench Warfare
The Trench System
Why Fight From A Trench?
Forces were dead
locked.
Germans established
the first trenches.
French and British
tried to overrun the
Germans but failed.
They dug their own
trenches.
No Mans Land
Land between opposing
trenches
Completely ruined by
artillery, cluttered with
destroyed equipment and
bodies.
Very muddy
Virtually impassable
Average distance was 250
to 350 meters
As short as 7 meters
As long as 500 meters
 Front Line Trench
A soldier uses a box periscope
to look at No Man's Land
Overlooks No Mans
Land
Most of the fighting
and dying took place
here
7 ft. deep, 6 ft wide
Not a safe place
Used sand bags to
support and build
them up.
 Front Line Trench

This was the fighting position. The parados were used

to prevent silhouetting (made it harder for the snipers)
and the duck-boards were used to keep out of the mud.
Communication Trench
Used to deliver orders
and messages
Transport supplies
and wounded
If necessary, could be
used as firing
positions if trench has
been over-run.
Support / Reserve Trenches
Away from the front
line (200-500 feet)
Supplies of men and
materials kept here
Could be quickly
brought to the front
line if necessary
Either for defensive or
offensive purposes
 Problems in the Trenches
Water
Trench Foot
Food
Rats
Casualties
 Water
MUD !!!!!
The area was a few feet
above sea level
Trench foot
Diseases
slept in mud, washed
in mud, ate mud, and
dreamed mud
anonymous soldier
 Rats
Everywhere !!!!
The size of cats
Bold and aggressive
Would eat
ANYTHING!
1 pair could produce
800-900 offspring in 1
year
 Food
Usually canned
Bread was stale
Cold
The kitchen close to
the front only had two
pots to cook
everything
Tea tasted like eggs
 Casualties
Killed
Wounded
Captured

9 12 million killed

Estimated casualties:
37.5 million
 Solutions for Trench Warfare
Tanks
Gas
Mustard
Nerve
Air Combat Support
Tunnels

British fake tree used by snipers and spies

 Gas
Gas was often a
double-edged sword
capable of blowing
back to its point of
origin.
Basically the three
main types used were
Chlorine
Phosgene
mustard gas

A German tosses grenades wearing a gas mask

 Tunnels
The British and the Germans would tunnel under No
Mans Land, place explosives / mines under the
enemies position and then blow it up then above
ground having troops go over the top to take the
opponents trenches.
Tunnel / Mine
Lochnagar mine crater
outside of La Boiselle as
it appears today.

It was created by 27 tons

of explosive on
the morning of
July 1st 1916
Aerial View of Battlefield
and Trenches in Belgium