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british sector of the western front - Coggle Diagram
british sector of the western front
the western front
trench construction
they often used existing ditches or banks to make it easier
the trenches were constantly maintained and improved for example with drains and steps added
the first trenches were hurridely dug by the troops
terrain and transport
it could be very difficult to get around where there was deep mud and waterlogging, and craters and holes from explosions
the trenches themselves could be muddy and very crowded
terrain varied in different places and according to weather conditions
battles on the western front
arras: april-may 1917
in 1916, the british linked and expanded the underground tunnels quarries and caves for the shelter and movement of troops. the tunnels were used to launch the battle, which was initially successful but ended with little progress and high numbers of casualties on both sides
the somme: july-novemeber 1916
notable for the extremely high casualties on both sides, the battles on both sides, the battles on both sides of the river somme, saw two new strategies by the british- the creeping barrage and the first use of tanks- but these had little impact
cambrai: november- december 1917
this battle was notable for the first large-scale use of tanks, which were succsesful but were not backed up so the british were forced back
third battle of ypres: july -november 1917
the British used a creeping barrage to make small gains to break out of the Ypres sallient. the awful weather left the ground waterlogged and many drowned
second battle of ypres: april- may 1915
the Germans made very slights gains torwards ypres. the battle was notable as being the first time chlorine gas was used. it was first used by germans
battle on hill 60: april 1915
the britsh tunneled into and under the hill and exploded five mines from the tunnels, which enabled them to take the hill
first battle of Ypres: October-November 1914
the British managed to hold on to Ypres, which was vital in maintaining access and control of the English channel ports, but the Germans gained ground
trench system
artillery emplacements
dugouts were holes in the side of the trench for troops to take over
all three rows of trenches were linked by communication trenches
the support trench was where troops would retreat to form the frontline
the reserve trench was where troops could be stationed for counter attack
trenches formed a zig-zag pattern
the frontline trench where attacks were launched
injuries and illnesses
head injuries
were unexpectedly common and were mostly caused by shrapnel
by late 1915, the soldiers soft caps were replaced by brodie helmets which reduced head wounds
shell shock
caused a wide range of symptons including total mental breakdown
some sufferes were accused of cowardice
many were treated close to the front but some were evacuated to british hospitals
gas attacks
were greatlly feared but were not a major cause of death
they caused (mostly temporary ) blindness and coughing, and also burns
in july 1915, gas masks were given to all british troops
before this, they protected their faces with cotton pads soaked with urine
trench fever
produced flu-like symptons, which could last for months and keep reocurring
it was caused by lice so, in 1918, troops were deloused, which reduced cases
trench foot
was caused by standing in waterlogged trenches.
it could lead to gangrene, treated with amputation
to try and protect troops feet, they were given whale oil and spare socks, pumps were used to drain trenches, and duck boards were added for soldiers to keep their feet above the water
bullets
from rifles and machine guns could penetrate organs and fractured bones
high explosive shells and shrapnel
were responsible for most deaths and injuries, removing limbs and causing major internal issues
specific injury problems
all weapons, but particularly explosions, could cause major blood loss
bullets and shrapnel had to be located and then removed
some injuries had rarely been seen before, while others had never been seen on this scale
extensive head wound required brain surgery and or facial reconstruction
wound infection
these would eneter wounds either during an attack, or when victims were lying on the ground ( often for some time) before being collected
from late 1914 tetanus injections were given but there was no prevention for gas gangrene
this was a major problem as soil on the western front contained tetanus and gas gangrene bacteria
RAMC and FANY
underground hospital at Arras
transport problems
medical workers
chain of evacuation
medicine in early 20th century
blood transfusions
in the 17th century, doctors carried out blood transfusions from animals
aseptic surgery
x-rays
radiology departments opened the following year and were used to diagnose embedded objects and bone problems
however there were some problems with early x-rays:
he then put photographic paper between the tube and his hand to create the first x-ray image
photography was at an early stage so taking x-rays required keeping still for a long time
he experimented and found that these rays could pass through many objects, including human flesh but couldnt pass through bone
high doses of radiation were relased and patients were burnt and lost hair
in 1895 when wilhem roentgen covered a test tube in black paper he was surprised to find that rays from the tube lit up a screen
large machines were too heavy to be moved easily
medical advances
the thomas splint
this was because the splint kept the lef rigid which reduced blood loss
previously 80% of soldiers with broken legs died
from december 1915, the thomas splint was widely used and reduced the death rates from broken limbs to fewer than 20%
advances in surgery
the numver of brain injuries during the war led to development of new surgical tecnhiques and improved the success rate
the large number of facial injuries led to huge improvements in plastic surgery, led by harold giles who worked at queens hospital in kent
blood transfusions
in 1915, Richard Lewis found that adding sodium nitrate to blood stopped it clotting, so it could be stored a short time. Richard weil used refrigerators to store it for much longer
in 1916, francis rous and james turner added citrate glucose, which meant blood could be stored for even longer
blood loss could lead to shock which often caused death. blood transfusions were used from 1915 but were limited as blood could not be stored
in preperation for the battle of cambrai in 1917, oswald hope robertson stored 22 units of blood in what he called the first blood depot. he used it to treat canadian soldiers suffering from shock and demonstrated its potential
mobile x ray units
static machines were used in base hospitals from 1914 and in some casualty clearing stations
mobile units were used closer to the front and their numbers increased as the war went on.
their images were not as clear as those from the static machines but still prevented many deaths
x- rays were essential in locating bullets and shrapnel before operating
new techniques for infections
by 1917 the carrel dakin method, in which sterlised salt solution was moved through the wound using tubes, was found to be more effective
this didnt work when infections were very deep in the body, so surgery was developed to remove the damaged and infected tissue as well as removing all traces of the bullet or shrapnel
surgeons went back to using chemicals to kill bacteria but this didnt work against gas gangrene
if this didn't work, the only way to save the patient was to amputate the limb
antispetic and aseptic surgery was not possible in dressing stations and casulaty clearing stations, and many wounds were already infected by the time the patient was operate on