Trenches Flashcards
Name the types of trench.
Frontline, support, reserve, communication.
What was the function of frontline trenches?
Where attacks were launched from; soldiers would enter no man’s land from here.
What was the function of communication trenches?
These linked together all three rows of trenches.
What was the function of support trenches?
Places where soldiers would retreat to from the front line to rest.
What was the function of reserve trenches?
Where troops were stationed for counterattacks.
Give 4 features of trenches.
1) Heavy machine gun artillery would be stationed at the front of the trench and barbed wire would be used to slow the enemy’s advancement.
2) Trenches became more sophisticated over time; e.g. drains + steps added.
3) Dugouts were holes where troops took cover.
4) Trenches were formed in a zig-zag pattern (to make it harder for invading enemies to see men and shoot them).
Give 2 features of trench warfare.
1) Soldiers rotated between frontline and support trenches.
2) Sappers tunnelled out into no-man’s land, placing mines underneath the ground to kill enemies.
What were conditions like in trenches?
Was often deep mud and waterlogging, as well as craters from explosions. Trenches were also very crowded.
