Layout of the trenches
The Triple Entente (Britain, France and Russia) and The Triple Alliances (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy) trenches were very similar in shape and design, although the Triple Alliances trenches were much larger, more sophisticated and more comforting for the soldiers.
The basic World War 1 trench system was made up of a front-line trench, a support trench and a reserve trench. The front-line trench was situated right at the front facing the enemy trenches. This was where most of the action occurred. Soldiers had shifts for which trench they stayed in. So for ten hours, ten soldiers might stay in the front-line trench, and when that time was up, swap with another ten from a support or reserve trench. The support trench was a trench that was close to the front-line, although further back from the action. In this trench there were usually machine gun bunkers that supported the troops in the front-line trench. The reserve trench was the trench where most troops went to rest, get medical assistance or just where they waited until they were needed in the front-line.
Artillery made up a large part of trench warfare. Artillery cannons and mortars were usually situated behind the trenches and rained shells down on the enemy's trenches. These cannons were situated way behind the trenches so that it would be hard for the enemies to destroy them in case they broke through the front-line trenches.
Trenches became particularly dangerous places when grenades and the first tanks were invented. The grenades were vastly more effective than the tanks as they were prone to being stuck in the mud. Sometimes the heat inside the tanks would be so unbearable that the drivers would suffocate or pass out.
The basic World War 1 trench system was made up of a front-line trench, a support trench and a reserve trench. The front-line trench was situated right at the front facing the enemy trenches. This was where most of the action occurred. Soldiers had shifts for which trench they stayed in. So for ten hours, ten soldiers might stay in the front-line trench, and when that time was up, swap with another ten from a support or reserve trench. The support trench was a trench that was close to the front-line, although further back from the action. In this trench there were usually machine gun bunkers that supported the troops in the front-line trench. The reserve trench was the trench where most troops went to rest, get medical assistance or just where they waited until they were needed in the front-line.
Artillery made up a large part of trench warfare. Artillery cannons and mortars were usually situated behind the trenches and rained shells down on the enemy's trenches. These cannons were situated way behind the trenches so that it would be hard for the enemies to destroy them in case they broke through the front-line trenches.
Trenches became particularly dangerous places when grenades and the first tanks were invented. The grenades were vastly more effective than the tanks as they were prone to being stuck in the mud. Sometimes the heat inside the tanks would be so unbearable that the drivers would suffocate or pass out.
Trenches became particularly dangerous places when grenades and the first tanks were invented. The grenades were vastly more effective than the tanks as they were prone to being stuck in the mud. Sometimes the heat inside the tanks would be so unbearable that the drivers would suffocate or pass out. Primitive tanks were also fairly easy to destroy as they were only bullet resistant and the outer layer of metal was punctured.
Image retrieved from: http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15799coll65/id/7365/rec/1
Retrieved: 10th Nov 2013
Image retrieved from: http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15799coll65/id/7365/rec/1
Retrieved: 10th Nov 2013