Depth 4: WW1 Trench Warfare (Nature of War) Flashcards
When was WW1?
1914-1918
How did WW1 begin strategically?
It began with mobilisations. Germany moved through neutral Belgium, meaning that Britain got involved in the war. The German advance faltered because of stretched supply lines.
What were some inadequacies in the Allied armies in the earlier part of WW1?
- France believed they would achieve a ‘Napoleonic’ surge to victory with cavalry and infantry.
- The French wore bright colours and feathered helmets.
- Hardly any aerial recon save for balloons and some spotter aircraft.
- Communication was primitive; relied on bikes, pigeons, horses and visible signals.
What was the ‘race to the sea’ in 1914 and who won?
After the Battle of the Marne, both armies attempted to outflank each other in a series of battles called ‘the race to the sea.’
The race ended in stalemate. As winter began, trench lines were constructed from the Channel coast to the French border with Switzerland.
What did Smith-Dorrien believe and how did this contradict trench warfare?
Smith-Dorrien believed that individual intelligence and initiative would be more important than out of date drills and training manuals.
There wasn’t much room for individual action in a war of attrition where the intensity of fire led to entrenchment.
What infrastructure was built as part of the trench system?
Field kitchens, first-aid posts, casualty clearing stations, hospitals, command posts, ammunition dumps, artillery parks and telephone and telegraph lines.
How were offensive trenches laid out?
Fire trenches (where you would shoot) ran in one direction, communication trenches criss-crossing them.
Trenches were never straight, to prevent the enemy from firing down the entire length.
Forward trench (front line)
Support trench (back-up)
Reserve trench (back-up)
What were some features of a trench?
“Duckboards” - temporary bridges over mud and shell holes
Barbed wire - defensive
Sandbags - blocked light, mud, water etc.
“Firestep” - where a soldier could rest his rifle to shoot
Periscope - allowed soldiers to safely check the terrain.
What was life in the trenches like?
Squalid conditions, disease was rampant. Lice and rats. Some men suffered from shell-shock. Latrines were simple, washing a luxury.
Fraternising with the enemy was condemned. “Christmas truce” of 1914.
“Sappers” had to tunnel under German trenches to lay charges or collapse them.
What was communication like during trench warfare?
Poor. Officers in dugouts could use telephone lines, but often had to rely on runners who might get shot.
In attacks, soldiers used shouting, bugles, horns and bagpipes because the noise was otherwise too loud to hear talking.
Commanders didn’t understand progress being made, and their plans were so complicated that they quickly became irrelevant.
How did trench warfare change previous French and British tactics?
- soldiers were given metal helmets and wore either khaki or grey.
- cavalry sword and lance relegated to history.
- cavalry breakthrough never happened because horses were large targets for machine guns and barbed wire was problematic for cavalry.
- cavalry was dismounted to fight as infantry.
What were rifles like during WW1?
A 1914 rifle could fire 15 rounds a minute. Smokeless powder meant snipers could remain concealed. Infantry also used grenades and knives in close combat, and officers carried revolvers.
What were attack strategies like during WW1?
WW1 soldiers used whatever cover they could find to fire from.
French used ‘fire and move’ tactic: one group of soldiers would rush forward under supportive cover fire. This led to narrow front attacks.
British used ‘wave and flow’ tactic: Artillery bombardment would destroy barbed wire. Men would leave the trench in waves, hold the first German trench and the next wave would take the next trench etc.
How were machine guns used during WW1?
Machine guns fired at 60 rounds a minute. Machine guns were sited in pairs and hidden in dugouts or pillboxes. One machine gun had the same power as 50 rifles. The Lewis gun could be operated by one man and could be used offensively. Machine guns made cavalry obsolete and infantry surges extremely costly.
How were grenades, flamethrowers and mortars used during WW1?
Grenades were thrown during hand to hand combat, like the British Mills bomb.
Flamethrowers weren’t widely used as it was bulky and made the wearer an easy target.
Mortars were small weapons that launched bombs into a trench. The Stokes trench mortar could fire 25 bombs a minute.
