The image of a soldier in a muddy trench is what many people visualise when they think of the First World War. However, most soldiers would only spend an average of four days at a time in a front line trench.
In this post
How long did men rest in the trenches?
four to six days
Soldiers rotated into and out of the front lines to provide a break from the stress of combat. They spent four to six days in the front trenches before moving back and spending an equal number of days in the secondary and, finally, the reserve trenches.
What was the life expectancy of a soldier in the trenches?
2. A soldier’s average life expectancy while in the trenches was six weeks. Some of the people who were mostly at risk of early death were the junior officers and the stretcher bearers.
How did soldiers pass time in the trenches?
Card games and gambling were very popular ways to pass the time, as well as sports like cricket and football. During the Christmas truce in 1914 some of the most memorable scenes were of soldiers from German and Allied sides playing football together. Music was a great lifter of spirits.
What time did soldiers in ww1 wake up?
“Stand-to” at Dawn
Each dawn, the usual time for an enemy attack, soldiers woke to “stand-to,” guarding their front line trenches. Afterwards, if there had not been an assault, they gathered for inspections, breakfast, and the daily rum ration.
How much sleep did ww1 soldiers get?
Daily life. Most activity in front line trenches took place at night under cover of darkness. During daytime soldiers would try to get some rest, but were usually only able to sleep for a few hours at a time.
Did rats eat soldiers ww1?
More horrifically the rodents were sometimes referred to as corpse rats. They bred rapidly in their millions and swarmed through No-Mans Land gnawing the corpses of fallen soldiers. The rats would taut sleeping soldiers, creeping over them at night. There were long bouts of boredom and rat hunting became a sport.
Do they still find bodies from ww1?
Nine British soldiers who died in World War One have been buried more than a century after their deaths. Their bodies were discovered during engineering works in De Reutel in Belgium in 2018.
What were the odds of dying in ww1?
As stated, that was 55 percent for everybody on the western front, so 2.24 times 55 gives a 123.2 percent chance of becoming a casualty. This might seem unbelievable, but it is in fact comparable to Crimea.
What did the trenches smell like?
The stink of war
Then there was the smell. Stinking mud mingled with rotting corpses, lingering gas, open latrines, wet clothes and unwashed bodies to produce an overpowering stench. The main latrines were located behind the lines, but front-line soldiers had to dig small waste pits in their own trenches.
Did soldiers get bored in the trenches?
“Months of boredom, punctuated by moments of sheer terror…” In between these battles, the troops endured a daily routine of tedium and random death. Men spent daylight below ground level, cleaning themselves and their weapons, and maintaining the trench.
What was morning hate?
The soldier fired into No Man’s Land, the area between the enemy trenches. Soldiers were ordered to keep firing even if they did not see anything. This was called the “morning hate.” The constant fire would keep the enemy from sneaking up on the trench.
What was morning hate ww1?
THE MORNING HATE
This was when soldiers would fix their bayonets and take up vigilant positions on the steps of the trenches, preparing for any devastating onslaught that might be coming their way.
How many hours of sleep do soldiers get?
6 to 7 hours
Most Soldiers report sleeping 6 to 7 hours per night, regardless of duty status. However, nearly 1 in 3 report getting less than 6 hours of sleep on weeknights/duty nights. Soldiers also report getting more sleep on weekend/non-duty nights than on weeknights/duty nights.
What did soldiers in ww1 eat?
By the First World War (1914-18), Army food was basic, but filling. Each soldier could expect around 4,000 calories a day, with tinned rations and hard biscuits staples once again. But their diet also included vegetables, bread and jam, and boiled plum puddings. This was all washed down by copious amounts of tea.
How did soldiers go to the toilet in ww1?
These latrines were trench toilets. They were usually pits dug into the ground between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres deep. Two people who were called sanitary personnel had the job of keeping the latrines in good condition for each company.
What did soldiers do for fun in the trenches?
In their spare time, soldiers wrote letters and diaries, drew sketches, read books and magazines, pursued hobbies, played cards or gambled. There were also opportunities for more-organised social activities.
What did they eat in the trenches?
The ‘trench ration’ was designed to feed a certain number of soldiers. It was used when the food prepared in the field kitchens could be delivered. It included corned beef, sardines, salmon, coffee, salt, sugar and even cigarettes. The ’emergency ration’ included highly caloric aliments, such as chocolate.
What did ww1 soldiers drink?
Soldiers were sometimes issued beer, cider, or brandy in lieu of Pinard, but it remained the most common alcoholic drink consumed at the front. On special occasions, other drinks like spiced wine or sparkling wine would be issued.
What happened to the dead bodies in the trenches ww1?
Many men killed in the trenches were buried almost where they fell. If a trench subsided, or new trenches or dugouts were needed, large numbers of decomposing bodies would be found just below the surface. These corpses, as well as the food scraps that littered the trenches, attracted rats.
How did they stop trench foot?
How is trench foot prevented and treated? When possible, air-dry and elevate your feet, and exchange wet shoes and socks for dry ones to help prevent the development of trench foot. Treatment for trench foot is similar to the treatment for frostbite.