The western front Flashcards
What were the 3 rows of trenches called?
Front line trench, support trench and reserve trench
How did German trenches compare to allied ones?
German trenches were much more well designed because the Generals realised that Stalemate would probably last a long time
Why were trenches built in a zigzag pattern?
To confine a blast or enemy gunfire to one section of the trench
What was the daily routine for a trench soldier?
Guarding and repairing the trench
Very dull mostly
Playing cards
Writing
‘Stand to’ at dawn ready for a possible attack
What was the monthly routine for a trench soldier?
4 days in the front line
4 days in the support trench
8 days in the reserve trenches
They were allowed a break the rest of the time
What was the name of the humour newspaper created by British Soldiers?
The Wipers Times - after Ypres in Belgium
What happened to letters sent and received by soldiers?
They were heavily checked and censored so nothing important could be given away to the enemy or to paint the picture that they were losing to family members
What was food like?
Basic, with stew, bread and biscuits
Luxuries included bacon, jam and cheese
What conditions were common in the trenches?
Trench foot from constant wet feet and shell shock
Trenches were also infested with rats and soldiers usually had lice
What was artillery and how as it used?
Large, long range guns, which fired shells
Used to weaken the enemy before a large scale attack and destroy barbed wire
What happened with poison gas?
It was first used by Germans in 1915 against the French but soon used all round.
It could be unreliable because of wind direction but was a weapon of terror
What happened with tanks?
They were first used by the British in 1916
They spread panic as they had never been seen before.
Unreliable when first used but became increasingly more significant in deciding battles
What happened with machine guns?
They required 2 to 4 people to use but was equivalent to 100 rifles
They could fire up to 10 bullets per second
What were the infantry’s weapons?
Rifles
Bayonets
Grenades
Rarely flamethrowers
When was the battle of Verdun?
21 February - 18 December 1916