Western Front Flashcards
Front line trenches
These trenches were closest to the enemy. Soldiers would fire across No Man’s Land from the front line trenches.
Communication Trench
These trenches connected the other lines of trenches. Soldiers would use them to move between the other trenches.
Support trench
These were dug behind the front line trenches. Soldiers would retreat to them during an attack.
Reserve trench
These were dug behind the support trenches. Soldiers would use these to prepare for a
counter-attack
No Man’s Land
This was the stretch of land between the Allied and German trenches.
Dugout
These were dug into the sides of trenches. Men would use these when they needed protection and rest.
Zigzag form
To add a layer of protection.
Ypres Battle 1914
The British moved to Ypres in Belgium to prevent Germany reaching the sea. However, Germany then attacked and the battle lasted a month (in autumn). The British lost 50,000 men but kept control of the Ypres ports. Mines were then used to retake Hill 60 and the top of the Hill exploded therefore the British had a strategic advantage.
Ypres 1915 Second Battle
Began immediately after the battle for Hill 60 ended. It was the first time Germany used Chlorine gas which resulted in the British losing 59,000 men. This then meant by the end of the battle Germans had advanced to miles closer to Ypres.
Battle of Somme 1916
The British used heavy artillery a week before the battle to bombard the German soldiers which warned them an invasion was going to take place. On the first day of the battle 57,000 British casualties and 20,000 deaths took place due to them preparing. The advance was also difficult due to the churned terrain. By the end of the battle there were 400,000 British casualties.
Battle of Arras 1917
Already contained tunnels therefore the British decided to create 2.5 miles of tunnels which could hold 25,000 men. The tunnels contained electricity, railways and a fully functioning hospital. In 1917, 24,000 men attacked German trenches and they managed to advance by 8 miles. Eventually, there were 160,000 casualties (British and Canadian) and little further progress had been made.
Battle of Ypres 1917
The aim was to remove German advantage of having higher ground. They launched their main attack in July and advanced 2 miles on the first day. Although the bad weather conditions caused water log and some men drowned. By the end of November they had advanced 7 miles at a cost of 245,000 casualties.
Battle of Cambrai 1917
began on 20th of October 1917. The first large scale use of tanks (500 in total) which allowed them to cross easily through barbed wire. Their machine guns were also very effective.
Motor Ambulances
The muddy terrain often made the motor ambulances less effective therefore they continued to use horses to draw carriages.
Horse drawn carriages
Horses would often get injured and couldn’t cope with the amount of injuries and deaths. It also caused soldiers injuries to get worse due to not being very secure.
Train, barge and ship ambulances
Transported injured soldiers to base hospitals efficiently and safely.
Gas attacks
Initially soldiers would urinate on cloth and hold it against their mouths in order to keep them safe but then gas masks were given out on the Western Front from 1915. These attacks would often cause panic and fear.
Chlorine gas
First used in the battle of Ypres in 1915. Led to death by suffocation.
Phosgene
Faster killing than chlorine and also suffocates individuals exposed to it. Used in 1915 in battle of Ypres
Mustard Gas
Used first in 1917. An odourless gas that caused internal and external blisters. Could pass through clothing and burn the skin
Shell Shock
Symptoms include: tiredness, headaches, nightmares, loss of speech etc. The condition was not understood at the time so soldiers were viewed as cowards if they experienced this.
Trench fever
Flu like symptoms. In 1918 linked with lice therefore delousing stations were set up and the numbers experiencing this declined.
Trench Foot
Infection caused by cold and damp conditions. Could lead to gangrene which was often fatal or resulted in amputation. It would be treated by rubbing whale oil on feet.
Shrapnel and wound infections
Shrapnel cause wound infections as it would take the fabric on clothing into the skin which had lice and fertiliser embedded on it. This was often fatal.
Stretcher bearers
Would export injured soldiers from no man’s land to one of the stages of evacuation often regimental aid post. They would work in groups of 4-6 and carried basic first aid equipment
Regimental aid post
Medical officer who assessed the seriousness of the solders injuries. It was 200m away from No Man’s Land. Only minor injuries could be treated so others needing more care would be taken to dressing stations.
Dressing stations
Would be in tents and had a triage nurse to assess the seriousness of the injuries. Serious cases would then be taken to CCS via motor ambulances
Casualty Clearing Stations
Contained doctors, nurses and dealt with serious injuries. Had operating theatres and x-ray machines.
Base Hospital
Had advanced equipment i.e x-rays, operating theatres and soldiers arrived by train, ship or barges. last stage on the chain of evacuation.
First Aid Nursing Yeomanry - FANYs
They arrived in France on the 17th of October 1914 and were initially turned away by the British so helped the French and Belgian troops. Then in 1916 they were finally allowed to drive motor ambulances.
The Thomas Splint
only 20 percent of men with shrapnel wounds would survive until the Thomas Splint was created and allowed compound fractures to heal properly as it kept them in a fixed position. the rates then increased to 80 percent surviving.
Amputation
used to treat gangrene infection
wound excision
cut away tissue around the wound to decrease the chances of it becoming infected
The Carrel-Dakin method
putting sterilised salt solution in a wound through a tube to prevent infection
X-rays
Base hospitals had x-rays and would allow more precise surgery although they took a long time to perform, over heated quickly and couldn’t detect all objects in the body.
Blood transfusions
Initially individuals would transfer blood through tubes directly to a patient. Robertson then used an indirect method with a syringe. Keynes then designed a portable blood transfusion kit. Lewisohn then discovered that adding sodium citrate to blood prevented it from clotting. Oswald then discovered blood depots which were packed with ice and saw dust to store blood.
Plastic surgery
Would help restore disfigured faces after being wounded. Gillies helped create the design for the hospital to suit its needs
Brain surgery
injuries to the brain were almost always fatal but Cushing experimented on the use of magnets to remove metal fragments from the brain.
