At the outbreak of World War one, the term "it will be over by Christmas" was a widely popular and believed term. However unbeknown to the people, not just in Britain but around the world, this war was going to be a new type of war, a total war.
As well as new weapons being used and laws dictating what news could be sent home, a new trench life would exist. These trenches were to become the home of thousands of men for up to four years. For many men, with an average age of just nineteen, would meet their end in the trenches and have never left since. But what was life really like on a daily basis for these brave men?
Trench life has always been referred to as life at the front, however, there was a set of three different trenches used during the first world war and men rotated through these continuously. They were the Front Line, The Support Line and the Reserve Line. Soldiers may have also found that they might have been able to have a period of "rest" in a nearby town or village, from which they could be recalled at any moment.
Everyday was more or less the same routine regardless of the amount of enermy bombardment receieved. The day began with a "Stand-To-Arms", whereby just before dawn soldiers would be awaken by their commanding officer and made to climb onto their firestep to guard against enermy raids. Then these soldiers would be expected to fire in front of them, known commonly as the "morning hate", to ensure the trenches safety at dawn.
Soldiers would then need to spend time cleaning their rifle afterwhich breakfast would be served. The soldiers could also have a morning shave or wash if there was any water left over.
The company commander would then inspect his men and assign duties for the day to each man. These may include repairing duckboards and barbed wire, refilling sandbags, rebuilding trenches after explosions and draining trenches using pumping equipment.
At dusk, the "Stand-To-Arms" would be repeated afterwhich supplies and maintainence duties would be performed such as fetching rations and water, patrolling no mans land and sentry duty. Soldiers would then take it in turns throughout the night to perform sentry duty.
Soldiers may also have got a small amount of leisure time, of which timing and length of would change according to events happening that day. During this time soldiers could play cards, read and write letters. However leisure time could be cut or banned without notice if there was enemy threat or danger.
The daily trench life was a battle for many soldiers who had to live in apalling conditions. Unlike conflicts today, there were no proper field kitchens and most soldiers lived on stale crackers, unappetizing salted meat and weak tea which looked more like dirty water.
Soldiers were also to endure lice, rats feeding on flesh and leftovers, slugs, frogs carrying diseases and other vermin. There was also a horrible smell associated to trench life that was a mixture of rotting flesh, overflowing toilets, unwashed body odour, cigarette smoke, cordite and creasol, used to try to stop the spread of infection. Many soldiers later described a smell of dying and death.
Trenches were blistering hot in summer with the sun constantly bearing down on the soldiers. On the other hand, in winter it was bitterly cold with many soldiers having "trench-foot" due to the low lying trenches. Soldiers would more often than not find themselves knee deep in water, mixed with slimey mud, that could make the easiest of daily tasks difficult and dangerous.
These brave men lived their lives in constant fear of being attacked and could never even stand up straight in the trenches for fear of being spotted by the enemy and shot.
These are just some of the struggles of daily life within the trenches. Added to this, there was the enemy fire, battles and even advancing or retreating. No wonder the returning soldiers came home, scared of their own shadow and unable to adjust back to civilian life. Not including the horrors they had witnessed, they had been made to live in a way in which today we wouldn't even allow animals to live in, with no chance of luxury, rest or security and no idea of when things would improve. This was felt by all nations and soldiers from all over the world spent up to four years living in these conditions. These men are the true heroes who we owe so much to. It is just unfortunate that it is too late to say a proper thank you for all that these brave men endured for the freedom we have today.
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