General Dates And The Trench System Flashcards
When did the war begin
August 1914
When were the first trenches built
August-September 1914
When was the battle of verdun
Feb-Dec 1916
What is the western front
A stretch of land through France and Belgium where most of the fighting took pace during WW1. It is where most of the main battles occurred
When are the final months of the war
Summer-Autumn 1918
Meaning of battalion
large body of troops, forming part of a brigade
Meaning of trench
Long, narrow ditches dug into the ground where soldiers lived all day and night
Meaning of artillery
Large-caliber guns used in warfare on land
Meaning of shrapnel
Fragments of a bomb, shell or other object thrown out by an explosion
Meaning of triage
The system of splitting the wounded into groups according to who needed the most urgent attention
Meaning of evacuation
In this context, meaning the clearing of a body (dead or alive) from the battle ground to seek medical attention
Meaning of antiseptic
A type of surgery that kills germs in wounds
Meaning of aseptic
A type of surgery that prevents germs reaching wounds
Meaning of blood transfusions
An injection of a volume of blood, previously taken from a healthy person, into a patient
Meaning of chlorine gas
A biological weapon first used by the Germans at the Second Battle of Ypres
Meaning of terrain
Type of ground
Downside to shelling
Destroying roads etc
What was the name of the trench that ran between other trenches
Communication trench
What was behind all of the trenches
Artillery emplacements
What were dugouts
Holes dug into the side of the trenches where men could take cover
What was one characteristic of the trench layout
Zig zag pattern
What was the trench line 80m behind the front
Support trench
Troops would retreat here if the frontline trench came under attack
What was the first trench called
The frontline
Where attacks would be made from
What was the trench 100m behind the support line
The reserve trench
Where reserve troops could be mobilised for a counter attack if the frontline trench was captured by the enemy
Why did trenches exist
Antidote to modern weaponry
Initially a temporary idea
What were conditions like in the trenches
Disease spread easily
Rat infested
Lice
Monotonous
Poor food and water, rations
Psychological toll
What was the purpose of the zig zag layout
Reduce the damage caused by bombs
Reduce casualties
Keep as much of the trench usable as possible
