Death, Defeat, Mud and Misery Flashcards
Who has the lowest casualty rates of all the armies?
The British Army
How many days max did they spend in the direct firing line?
2-3 days
How many days per month did soldiers spend in reserve?
4-5 days
How many soldiers where killed?
1 in 12
Chances were…?
50/50
How many soldiers spent time away from the front lines and what did they have easy access to?
60% and alcohol and cigarettes
What did they have most of the time?
Comfortable surroundings in villages with good food, hot water and clean uniforms.
What did good treatment lead to?
No large mutanies.
What happened to many recruits health wise?
They actually put on weight due to good food and pay.
What was shell shock?
A phycological impact-post traumatic stress.
What where other names for shell shock?
War neurosis and combat stress.
How many generals died?
Over 200 generals died.
Tench warfare conditions?
Wet through to the skin, water logged trenches.
How deep was the water in the trenches sometimes?
Up to chest deep with water.
What is time spend doing?
Fetching rations, digging, filling sand bags, building up parapets.
How big where the rations?
Pathetically sized for the amount of physical activity they took part in.
Where were lice found?
In every crevice of the soldiers bodies, belonging and clothes.
RATS?…
Rats eat corpses, grow huge and multiply exceedingly.
What is trench foot?
“You could stab a bayonet into them and not feel a thing they’re that numb”
What was field punishment number 1?
Standing against a fixed object 2 hours daily for a maximum of 21 days.
Name some weapons employed.
Disabling chemicals, tear gas, lethal gas like Phosgene, chlorine and mustard gas.
What were Shrapnel shells?
A peice of brutal weaponry.
What did Shrapnel shells do?
They exploded in the air and showered bullets and metal fragments.
What is an example of huge devastation in WW1?
The Battle of the Somme
