Newfoundland & the Great War (#2) NL Studies 2205

Newfoundland & the Great War The Western Front For the Newfoundland soldiers in the Great War, most of their time was spent on the western Front The Western Front describes the system of First World War trenches that stretched from the North Sea to the Swiss border Fighting there was unlike anything previously experience in war & it was characterized by the stalemate of trench warfare Newfoundland & the Great War

Trench Warfare When the hope of a quick victory faded in the fall of 1914, both sides began to construct deep trenches protected by machine guns & barbed wire. Eventually, parallel lines of trenches soon stretched from the English Channel to Switzerland Opposing forces were only separated by 15-20m in some areas. Trench warfare dominated the Western Front battlefields of WWI.

First World War Trenches Front-line : This was the firing-and-attack trench (closest to the enemy) Support : This trench contained men & supplies that could immediately assist those on the front line Reserve : This trench contained men and supplies that were available in emergencies should the first trenches be overrun. Communication : Connected the various trenches & allowed movement of messages, supplies, & men among the trenches

Trenches: Copy & Label Activity

No Man’s Land The space between the allied & enemy front line trenches Characterized with destroyed military equipment & vegetation, mud-soaked craters, rotting corpses, & barbed wire Night-time Trench raids were common Snipers were a constant threat

Trench Warfare: Infantry Foot soldier who formed the backbone of the army By WW1, the ‘Infantry Charge’ had replaced the replaced the traditional ‘Cavalry Charge’ on the battlefield Men carried a variety of equipment into battle, as much as 70lbs

WWI Infantry Charge The attacking side’s artillery bombarded the frontline trenches of the enemy in the days / weeks prior to the attack. As soon as the barrage lifted (stopped), attacking troops would go over the top of their trenches to attack.

WWI Infantry Charge The defenders now attempted to hold their positions & destroy the attacking forces with machine gun fire & other weapons available If enemy trenches were captured, they had to be held against strong enemy counter-attack….a very difficult task

Newfoundland & the Great War With a brief background into trench warfare behind us, lets head to the Canadian War Museum to a get of taste of soldiering in the First World War by completing their online simulation called Your task in this simulation is to survive your time in the front line When your simulation is finished, complete the activity sheet provided to you in class Newfoundland & the Great War