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The Trenches During WW1 - Coggle Diagram
The Trenches During WW1
Pests
Lice
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Men in the trenches killed lice by ‘chatting’ - crushing them between finger nails they also burnt them out with cigarettes
Rats
Rats could grow huge; some were even reported to have reached the size of cats! A pair of rats can create a population of over 900 rats within a year
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Camaraderie
Letters and Parcels
Parcels from home were also greatly appreciated and gave the men treats like cigarettes, scarves, gloves, sweets, cakes and chocolates.
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Sport
Some of the most popular sports were football, rugby, cricket, boxing and athletics.
Cavalry regiments would take the time to exercise and groom their horses and they would also organise equestrian events to keep their mounts in top condition and help improve their horsemanship.
Music and Theater
There were organised events where choirs, concert parties and brass bands would tour the rest camps and perform for the troop and the men would also stage impromptu sing songs and comedy sketches to entertain themselves.
Disease
Drinking water was transported to front line trenches in petrol cans. It was then purified with chemicals.
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The best latrines came in the form of buckets which were emptied and disinfected regularly by designated orderlies.
A major problem in the trenches of the Western Front was a condition called trench foot, in which the foot swells up and begins to decay
Soldiers were encouraged to wash their feet and change into dry socks regularly and their feet were often inspected.
Food
Even though food was very short in Britain during World War One, families often sent parcels to their fathers and brothers fighting at the front.
At the beginning of the war, soldiers got just over one pound of meat, the same amount in bread and eight ounces of vegetables each day.
Some soldiers worked in field kitchens which were set up just behind the trenches to cook meals for the soldiers who were fighting.
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Rotations
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When soldiers left the front line trenches they could use special laundries to wash and change their clothes.
At regular intervals, soldiers not on front line duties were given an opportunity to have a warm bath and change their clothes.