Life in the trenches

Question 1

What is a trench?

Answer 1

A trench is a long, narrow ditch to protect soldiers in war.

Question 2

Why did soldiers dig trenches?

Answer 2

• It was dangerous to be above ground.
• There was no cover above ground to shield yourself from gunshots.
• Planes were very new, so the soldiers couldn’t use them.
• You couldn’t attack at night because both soldiers had flares.

Question 3

What was the purpose of a dug out?

Answer 3

To keep cover of the soldiers when they go to sleep.

Question 4

What was the purpose of the fire step?

Answer 4

To steady ground to focus fire.

Question 5

What was the purpose of the wooden or iron step?

Answer 5

To stop the ground from slipping when it rains.

Question 6

What was the purpose of the sandbags?

Answer 6

To absorb the bullets.

Question 7

What was the purpose of the wooden periscope?

Answer 7

To keep an eye on the Germans without looking above the ground.

Question 8

What was the purpose of the barbed wire?

Answer 8

To hinder the enemies attack.

Question 9

What was the purpose of the duck boards?

Answer 9

To keep the soldiers out of water.

Question 10

What was a soldiers day in the trenches?

Answer 10

5: 30 am- Reveille
6: 00 am- Stand to
6: 30 am- Breakfast
7: 30 am- Roll call
9: 30 am- Break
11: 30 am- German Barrage starts
13: 00 am- Lunch
16: 00 am- Cleaning uniform/ kit
17: 00 am- The big push
19: 00 am- Letters from home

Question 11

What does ‘stand to’ mean?

Answer 11

‘Stand to’ was when the soldiers were ordered to climb up on the fire step to guard against a dawn raid by the enemy, bayonets fixed. The daily ritual often turned the ‘morning hate’.

Question 12

What were the key features of trench life?

Answer 12

• Lice
• Rats
• Rations
• Camaraderie
• Trench foot