What was life like in the ww1 trenches?
On the Western Front, the war was fought by soldiers in trenches. Trenches were long, narrow ditches dug into the ground where soldiers lived. They were very muddy, uncomfortable and the toilets overflowed. These conditions caused some soldiers to develop medical problems such as trench foot.
How bad was life 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 did life in trenches affect soldiers?
Disease and ‘shell shock’ were rampant in the trenches. As they were often effectively trapped in the trenches for long periods of time, under nearly constant bombardment, many soldiers suffered from “shell shock,” the debilitating mental illness known today as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Did trenches have toilets?
Soldiers lived in the trenches when fighting during WW1, it was muddy, noisy and pretty basic. They didn’t have toilets so it was probably a bit stinky too.
How did they get rid of rats in the trenches?
Cats and terriers were kept by soldiers in the frontline trenches to help free them of disease-carrying rats. The terriers were actually very effective in killing rats. They don’t play with their prey like cats do. They kill immediately.
What were the living conditions like in the trenches?
The living conditions of the men in the trenches consisted of constant death, rats, lice, different weather conditions (heat, cold, rain, snow). Death was a constant companion in the trenches as there would be death on the very first days of every battalion serving the front lines also most men died on…
How would you describe life in trenches?
Life in the trenches. Life in the trenches was difficult for the soldiers. They were infested with rats year-round, and in the winter, the trenches filled with mud and ice. The soldiers were often cold and wet, hungry and exhausted. To make matters worse, they knew they could be attacked at any moment.
What food did they eat in WW1 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 in World War 1?
Life in the trenches during the First World War took many forms, and varied widely from sector to sector and from front to front. Undoubtedly, it was entirely unexpected for those eager thousands who signed up for war in August 1914.