The Era Of The Great War #2: Life In The Trenches Flashcards
How were soldiers in the trenches affected by Daily Routine?
Their days were monotonous - repetitive and boring
What did Pt Robert MacFie of Liverpool Scottish say about daily routine?
“It is deadly dull, and the dullness, more than the discomfort, is what strikes me”
How were soldiers in the trenches affected by Food?
- Soldier on the western front were very critical of the quantity and quality of the food
- They called it “boring”
What happened to food by winter 1916?
- Food was in short supply
- Bread was made with ground turnips
- Their main meal was ‘pea-soup and a few lumps of horse meat’
How were soldiers in the trenches affected by disease?
The lack of fresh running water and clean toilets led to many soldiers developing disease
What diseases were common in the trenches?
Dysentery, Pneumonia, And tuberculosis
How were soldiers in the trenches affected by trenchfoot?
They developed this by standing in waterlogged trenches hours on end
How many men were treated in the British army for trenchfoot in winter 1914-15?
Over 20,000a
How were soldiers in the trenches affected by rats?
Rats scurried around the trenches, feeding off of rotting dead bodies and scraps from discarded food tins
What did Harry Patch say about rats?
“There were rats as big as cats”
What were jack Russell dogs used for in the trenches?
Catching and killing rats
How were soldiers in the trenches affected the constant threat of attack?
- They feared death
- The strain or living with constant noise, gunfire, shellfire, and ringing in soldiers’ ears led to many developing shellshock
What was shellshock?
- Early symptoms: tiredness, irritability, giddiness, lack of concentration, headaches
- Physical symptoms: shaking
- This led to many breaking down
What happened to the soldiers who broke down due to shell shock and refused to fight?
They would be court martial led and shot
What was the opinion on shell shock?
It was seen as cowardly
