Trench Warfare and Conditions (Western Front)

Question 1

Mud and Water

Answer 1

Trenches often filled with water, especially after rain.
Flooding caused cold, wet conditions and made movement difficult.
Mud could be deep and sticky, trapping men and animals.

Question 2

Trench Foot and Disease

Answer 2

Constant dampness led to trench foot – a painful condition that could result in amputation.
Rats and lice were common, spreading diseases like typhus.
Poor sanitation led to illness, including dysentery.

Question 3

Deadly Environment

Answer 3

Trenches were filled with danger: snipers, artillery, and poison gas attacks were constant threats.
Dead bodies often remained in trenches, contributing to the smell and disease.

Question 4

Poor Living Conditions

Answer 4

Food was often basic and repetitive, like bully beef and biscuits.
Soldiers slept in dugouts or on the trench floor with little protection from the cold.
Hygiene was poor – few chances to bathe or change clothes.

Question 5

Psychological Strain

Answer 5

Soldiers lived in constant fear of attack, causing “shell shock”
Boredom between attacks also affected morale.

Question 6

No Mans Land

Answer 6

The land between opposing trenches, called No Man’s Land, was extremely dangerous.
Filled with barbed wire, craters, and dead bodies.