TRENCH WARFARE

The trench system

trenches where located on the?

western front

Artillery line

• where big field guns were located

• used to fire shells at the enemy

• noise from a barrage of guns was deafening

Communication trench

• used to move between the front and rare trenches

• used to transport injured men to the field hospital

supporting trench

• provided a second line of defense, incase the front line trench was taken by the enemy

• contained first aid station and kitchens to ensure men in the front line had medical treatment and hot food

bunker

• used to store food underground

• used to store weapons and artillary

• command centers

• offered men protection from fire and the element

traverse

trenches were not built in a stright line so that if they managed to get into the frontline trenches, they would not have a straight firing line along the trench. trenches were therefore built alternating straight and angled lines

machine gun nests

• where the machine gun was located at the rare trench

• operated by 2/3 soldiers who fired on any advancing enemy

front line trench

• 8ft deep and 4-6ft wide

• soldiers would spend a week in the frontline trench and spend a week in the rare trenches or rest camps

barbwire

• used extensively in trench warfare of WWI

• it was laid several rows deep by both sides to protect the front line

• wire breaks were placed at intervals to allow men access to NO man’s land

• however, attackers had to locate wire breaks and many men lost their lives by becoming entangled in the wire and shocked.

listening post

• was used to monitor the enemy’s activity

• used a stethoscope to listen to the enemy

No man’s land

• the area between two trenches

Sandbags

• used to protect soldiers from any riffle fire

• they were less effective in shell fire

placed at the bottom of the trench to soak up water

Parapet

name given to the front wall of the trenches: that is the nearest wall to the enemy. It would be often strengthened with wood and covered with sandbags

Bolt hole/ dug out

built into the sides of the trenches. the earth was shored up with wood and the roof was lined with iron

used bolt hole for protection, for eating and sleeping

Duck board / sump

To prevent the trenches from becoming waterlogged, a narrow drainage channel known as a sump would be built at the bottom of the trench. This would then be covered with wooden trenchboards known as duckboards. 

trench block

A trench block was a wood and wire structure that was made to block the trenches and prevent the enemy from advancing through a trench system.  

Machine gun

The machine gun was the most widely used weapon in world war one. The guns were very heavy and had to be supported on a tripod. They also required three or four men to operate them. The men in this picture are also wearing gas masks for protection against gas attacks.