Why did the soldiers dig their trenches as deep as possible?

Digging the trenches The only way to survive such weapons was to dig defensive trenches (channels dug in the earth). But soldiers soon learned from their mistakes and built deeper, long-lasting trenches. The Germans usually built trenches where they could best see and fire at the enemy while remaining hidden.

What was used to defend trenches from enemy?

Trenches were longer, deeper, and better defended by steel, concrete, and barbed wire than ever before. They were far stronger and more effective than chains of forts, for they formed a continuous network, sometimes with four or five parallel lines linked by interfacings.

Why did soldiers dig trenches in a zig zag?

The trench system had a main fire trench or front line. All the trenches were dug in a zig-zag pattern so the enemy couldn’t shoot straight down the line and kill many soldiers. If a mortar, grenade or artillery shell would land in the trench, it would only get the soldiers in that section, not further down the line.

How did they dig trenches?

Trenches weren’t dug in straight lines. Sometimes the soldiers would simply dig the trenches straight into the ground – a method known as entrenching. Entrenching was fast, but the soldiers were open to enemy fire while they dug. Another method was to extend a trench on one end.

How long did it take to dig trenches in ww1?

The trenches needed constant repair or they would erode from the weather and from enemy bombs. The British said it took 450 men 6 hours to build about 250 meters of a trench system. Most of the raids took place at night when soldiers could sneak across the “No Mans Land” in the dark.

How did they dig the trenches in ww1?

Most trenches were between 1-2 metres wide and 3 metres deep. Trenches weren’t dug in straight lines. The WWI trenches were built as a system, in a zigzag pattern with many different levels along the lines. Sometimes the soldiers would simply dig the trenches straight into the ground – a method known as entrenching.

How scary was trench warfare?

Exposed to the elements, trenches filled with water and became muddy quagmires. One of the worst fears of the common Western Front soldier was ‘trench foot’: gangrene of the feet and toes, caused by constant immersion in water. Trench soldiers also contended with ticks, lice, rats, flies and mosquitos.

How were dogs used in the trenches?

The canines carried aid to the wounded, took messages between the lines and sniffed out enemy soldiers. Their roles were deemed so important that in the early months of 1917 the War Office formed the War Dog School of Instruction in Hampshire to train them. They were also used for pulling machine guns and equipment.

What was the trench experience like in WW1?

The trench experience was not one easily forgotten for the soldiers. Trenches were a form of protection for the soldiers, a hole dug in the ground to shelter them from bullets. They could also shoot from their trenches, making sure that they wore their helmets to avoid being shot in the head.

Why did WW1 trenches have a zigzag pattern?

Because constant shelling and frequent rainfall could cause the trench walls to collapse, the walls were reinforced with sandbags, logs, and branches. Trenches were dug in a zigzag pattern so that if an enemy entered the trench, he could not fire straight down the line.

What was life like at the front line of WW1?

The front line trenches were generally about 8 feet deep and between 4 and 6 feet wide. Soldiers would spend around a week in the front line trench then would spend a week in the rear trenches or a rest camp. Life at the front line was not pleasant; soldiers were liable to be hit by enemy fire or sometimes by their own artillery.

What items did soldiers keep in the trenches?

What items did soldiers keep in the trenches? Soldiers carried lots of equipment This included a gas mask; weapons and ammunition; protective clothes like boots and a helmet; ‘webbing equipment’ which contained personal items like shaving kits and water bottles; and a shovel. 1 of 4