Trenches

Question 1

Why did soldiers fight in trenches

Answer 1

To protect them from snipers, machine guns and bombs.

Question 2

What does a trench look like

Answer 2

Built in zigzags to offer extra protection from bombs

Question 3

Why did men volunteer to fight

Answer 3

Money, Loyal to king / country, Stay with friends, To be able to travel, Family tradition, Pride

Question 4

Explain why men chose to fight for money

Answer 4

Soldiers wages were better than civilians wages.
Soldiers got 35p a week while civilians got 15

Question 5

Explain why men chose to fight to be loyal yo their king/country

Answer 5

These men often had portraits of the king in their home. As respect

Question 6

Explain why men chose to fight to stay with friends

Answer 6

Wanted to stay with friends and members of their football team

Question 7

Explain why men chose to fight to be able to travel

Answer 7

Adventure, they couldn’t afford to go to the seaside so this was their only chance to see the world.

Question 8

Explain why men chose to fight for family tradition

Answer 8

They had Family ties to armed forces (e.g. father /brother were already soldiers)

Question 9

Explain why men chose to fight for pride

Answer 9

Proud to serve their country

Question 10

What do you think was the most important reason to volunteer as a soldier

Answer 10

Money, many people were living in poverty and this was their only chance to earn a higher wage

Question 11

What was the front wall of a trench called

Answer 11

Parapet

Question 12

What was the back wall of a trench called

Answer 12

Parados

Question 13

Name all the parts of a trench (cross section of a trench)

Answer 13

Barbed wire- at the top front.
Parapet- front wall.
Sandbags- at the top on either side.
Parados- back wall.
Dug out- area to sit on back wall.
Fire step- area to stand cut out from front wall to fire.
Duckboard- at the bottom of trench to stand on.
Sump- water rubbish and filth underneath the duckboard.

Question 14

Tell me about trench foot

Answer 14

An infection caused by cold, wet, dirty conditions.
No blood getting to toes- numb- soldiers lost toes and feet.
20,000 affected by this.

Question 15

Give me 2 symptoms of trench foot

Answer 15

Your feet would swell to 2 or 3 times their regular size.
You could stick a bayonet in the man’s still feel nothing.

Question 16

Tell me about the soldiers equipment

Answer 16

30 kgs to carry.
Rifle.
Shaving kit.
Wire cutters.
It was handed out in pieces, you didn’t get it all at the same time.

Question 17

Why were letters censored

Answer 17

To prevent secrets being given away to enemies (e.g. plans of going over the top) or horrific information on what happens to the public.
They wanted as many people to join as possible so they had to censor most things.

Question 18

What is SIW

Answer 18

The nickname for self inflicted wounds

Question 19

Tell me something about a young person who joined the war

Answer 19

Private Lewis was 12 years old!

Question 20

How old did you have to be to join

Answer 20

19 to go overseas

Question 21

When did people think the war would be over and how did they know they were wrong

Answer 21

Thought to be over by Christmas - 6 months.
But they saw wounded soldiers coming home indicating it will be much longer.

Question 22

What were some jobs in the trenches

Answer 22

Ration/water party, on patrol, fixing barbed wire, sentry duty, listening post.

Question 23

Tell me about the soldiers weather conditions

Answer 23

Mud up to your knees. 1916 had the coldest winter. Danger with heavy equipment was that it caused soldiers to fall and drown in the mud.

Question 24

What was used to cure trench foot

Answer 24

Whale oil

Question 25

What is chatting

Answer 25

Getting rid of lice eggs.
Popping lice eggs with a candle or between your thumbs.

Question 26

Tell me about the rats

Answer 26

Size of kittens, punched rats to get rid of them, they ate bodies and soldiers food. They bred in tens of thousands. When the soldiers slept the rats ran over them. They turned over tins at night time to find food. They were noisy.

Question 27

Tell me about rations

Answer 27

Basic foods- bully beef + bread + cheese.
Water tasted of petrol and chlorine.
Extra rations were stew and jam, these were in special occasions.

Question 28

Tell me about the dangerous gas

Answer 28

Gas warning - shell case was banged when chlorine could be smelled.
Mustard gas made you sick, blind, and it burns.
There is chlorine gas and mustard gas.

Question 29

What is shell shock

Answer 29

When soldiers had been in the war and seen horrific things they were mentally and physically impacted…
A terrible impact on soldiers meaning they often had to lay down on the ground as they couldn’t cope. It was both a mental and physical illness.

Question 30

Give me 3 ways a German sniper tried to target their enemy

Answer 30

Creep out at dawn into no man’s land and stay there all day- maybe then throw bombs or cut barbed wire.
Wearing camouflaged clothing.
Using the cover of a fake tree.

Question 31

Name a few weapons

Answer 31

Snipers.
Machine guns.
Bombs/shells.
Gas attacks with poisonous gasses e.g. mustard or chlorine

Question 32

Tell me about snipers shooting

Answer 32

If you stuck your head up out of the trench, you could be killed in 3 seconds. They had 3 seconds to hit target.

Question 33

Tell me about going over the top

Answer 33

Over the top of trench into no man’s land.
To attack the enemy.
Zero hour is another term for going over the top.