TRENCH WARFARE WWI

Trench Warfare

Trench Warfare

Trench Warfare - Construction Estimated over 25,000 miles Trenches dug to a height higher than men, about 8-12’ Walls reinforced with wood beams and sandbags-revetments Floor of trench typically covered with wooden slats-duckboards

Trench Warfare - Construction Shorter ledge built into front of trench to allow shooters to fire rifles/machine guns-firestep “No Man’s Land” – the land between opposing trenches, usually 100-300 yards, some areas as little as 16 yards or as much as 2 miles, fortified with barbed wire

No Man’s Land

Trench Warfare - Construction German trenches were in stark contrast to British trenches. German trenches were built to last and included bunk beds, furniture, cupboards, water tanks with faucets, electric lights, and doorbells

German Trench

Trench Warfare - Life Often wet, rains would flood trench waist deep Trenches were muddy, unsanitary Latrines built into trenches Flies, maggots, rats, fleas rampant 1914 coldest winter on record to date, frostbite

Trench Rats

Trench Warfare - Life Trench Foot-due to cold wet conditions, cells in feet die resulting in gangrene, amputation Trench Mouth-infection of throat and mouth, gums bleed Dysentery-intestine disease, unsanitary conditions, fatal Typhus-infectious disease from rats and fleas, fatal

Trench Foot