War on the Western Front

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Trench warfare developments on the Western Front

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War on the Western Front : 

War on the Western Front Trench Warfare

War of Movement : 

War of Movement The first six weeks saw a war of movement. This meant that battles were fought in a traditional way, on open ground, by large formations of troops. In mid-September, the war of movement stopped.

WHY? : 

WHY? The failures of the two war plans: Germany’s Schlieffen Plan, and France’s Plan XVII Germany’s advance was stalled at the Battle of the Marne. After the intense fighting, both sides dug in, ready for the next phase of the war.

Trenches : 

Trenches A trench is an elaborate ditch, dug by soldiers for protection from enemy fire. They had been used before as a temporary measure Trench warfare became the norm on the Western Front from September 1914 onward.

Trenches : 

Trenches The trench system stretched from the English Channel coast in Belgium, to the Swiss border...750 km, or the distance from Sydney to Byron Bay. Both sides dug trenches, and as the war went on, they became more elaborate and permanent. Germany’s trenches tended to be more impressive, because...

Diagram of a trench : 

Diagram of a trench No Man’s Land No Man’s Land Barbed wire Elbow rest Parapet Ammunition shelf Fire step Duckboards Sump Dugout Sandbags

No Man’s Land : 

No Man’s Land Area between two opposing trenches, usually littered with shell holes, dead bodies, and unexploded munitions.

Barbed wire : 

Barbed wire Sharp wire designed to delay an enemy advance

Parapet : 

Parapet Highest part of the trench front – you would aim over this to fire, or climb over it to advance

Elbow rest : 

Elbow rest Place to rest your arm whilst firing at the enemy

Ammunition shelf : 

Ammunition shelf Cavity in side of trench for storing metal boxes of ammo

Firestep : 

Firestep Raised foot rest you would step up to when firing your rifle

Duckboards : 

Duckboards Wooden planks that covered the bottom of the trench – designed to keep your feet dry

Sump : 

Sump Channel beneath the duckboards where mud, water and waste was drained away

Dugout : 

Dugout Ditch dug out of the side of a trench, sometimes lined with timber, and even furnished. Where soldiers could rest or sleep. Sometimes called a funk-hole.

Sandbag : 

Sandbag Hessian bags full of dirt or sand, which lined the trench. Stopped bullets and shrapnel, and reinforced the trench walls against collapse.

Overhead view of a trench : 

Overhead view of a trench Why are the trenches zig-zagged? What are the ‘saps’ used for? saps saps no man’s land barbed wire entanglement front line trench communications trench first support trench

Overhead view of a trench system : 

Overhead view of a trench system What are the holes dotted around the diagram? What would the reserve trenches be used for?

Slide 20: 

How would a parados work?

Slide 21: 

Why were German dugouts effective?

Slide 22: 

Name five features of this trench.

Slide 23: 

Describe the conditions in this trench.

Slide 24: 

What hygiene issues are shown in this source?

Slide 25: 

What is the ladder for?

Slide 26: 

What do you think these soldiers are doing?

Slide 27: 

What equipment is being used in this Canadian trench?

Slide 28: 

‘Over the top’. What obstacles would these soldiers face?

Equipment : 

Equipment large pack (clothes, great coat) helmet small box respirator haversack (small pack) - rations puttees (wrapping from knee to ankle) ammunition pouches Lee-Enfield rifle (with bayonet) entrenching tool boots khaki jacket

A month in the life... : 

A month in the life... Not every day of a soldier’s life was spent at the front. Every 30 days, a BEF soldier would spend: 4 days in the front line trench 4 days in the support trenches 8 days in the reserve trenches (8km from front) 14 days in rest (away from trenches)

A day in the trenches... : 

A day in the trenches... 30 minutes before sunrise: ‘stand to’ on firestep, rum ration provided Dawn: breakfast Inspection by officers 1/3 of day on maintenance work 1/3 of day on sentry duty 1/3 of day resting Night: maintenance in dangerous areas, patrols into No Man’s Land, trench raids

Rations : 

Rations Each BEF soldier was to receive per day: Bully beef – one tin Bread (though usually biscuits) – one loaf Bacon – 2 rashers Tea – 3 tea bags Sugar – 10 teaspoons Jam – 3 tablespoons Cheese – 2 slices Butter – one tablespoon Potatoes – about 4 Salt – one tablespoon Pepper – a pinch Mustard – half a teaspoon