United States History II

World War I
Life in the Trenches

Directions:
1. Read the primary source below
2. As you read, answer the questions using the boxes provided.
3. Be prepared to discuss how the source describes life in the trenches during World War I.

Background: This letter was sent during World War I.

Many soldiers wrote letters home to friends and
family.  Jonathan George Symons wrote this letter on
November 10, 1915. He was a British soldier fighting in
France. Soldiers had to spend most of the war in trenches.
These were tunnels and holes in the ground. Soldiers slept
and fought in the mud. Symons lived through World  War I.

A solider in a trench during World War I

Dear Bert,
Based on the text, what were the
Just a few lines to let you know I am OK. I hope you are the same. weather conditions like in the trenches?
Right now, we are in trenches. The weather is awful. It rains day  The trenches were muddy, cold
with miserable conditions.
after day and night after night. To tell you the truth, while writing  Many soldiers died from simply
this letter I am wet through to the skin. I have nothing dry to change being exposed to the cold, as
into. We have got our winter fur coats and rubber boots. The boots the temperature was often below
cause more curses than you can imagine.  zero within the trenches in winter.
For example, last night I was sent off to choose trenches for our  The rain often filled the trenches;
sometimes, the trenches would fill
group. It was pitch dark, and no light was allowed. I was in a with water up to the soldiers'
strange place. Honestly, I fell over at least 20 times. I got smothered waists.
in mud from head to feet. On top of that, I got wet because it rained
so much.

Sergeant = a rank of officer in the This morning I was

military. checking the trenches
to see if they were What three words would you use to
"comfortable" enough describe the life of a soldier based on
for the men. There were people all around saying "Sergeant this"
The writer says the soldiers’ shelter and "Sergeant that." Some people said, "How can you expect
“collapsed in the night”. What does this people to live in this?" They had slept in a shelter that collapsed
tell us about the shelter? in the night. They had to find shelter under a tree at 2 a.m. They
looked for me for about half an hour, but couldn’t find me. The
The shelters were liable to collapse. only thing that could have gotten me up would have been a
German bomb. Then I would have had no other choice but to
move.
John and I were in the trenches last week. We were up to our
knees in water. Our rubber boots got half full.

Paddington Station is a famous train

station in London. Why do you think the
writer compares the trenches to
The fighting line between us and the Germans is a bit quiet lately.
We get shot at sometimes, but you get used to it. To give you an
idea, it's like sitting at Paddington Station and hearing the train
engines screech.

I am looking forward to a short vacation. I have been here nearly

three months now. We stand a good chance. Well, I must now finish.

Yours sincerely,
Jack Symons

Draw a picture to help you remember life in the trenches based on the description in the letter. *You can use this
image to help answer the question at the end of class!

War in the Trenches

*You can use this page to help answer the question at the end of class!
By early 1915 the war on the __Western Front________________ had turned into a deadly war of attrition
(each side tried to wear down the other by constant attacks).

To protect themselves, soldiers on both sides ______________________________________

Eventually,__2___parallel trenches stretched for about 500 miles in an unbroken line from
__Switzerland____to the __North_____: The Race to the Sea.

What types of conditions did They were very muddy, uncomfortable and the toilets overflowed.
soldiers face in the trenches? These conditions caused some soldiers to develop medical
problems such as trench foot

What did it mean to go “over the It meant leaving the safety of their trenches and attacking the
top”? enemy.

What was “no man’s land”? Describes the area between opposing armies and trench lines.

Advantages of Trench Warfare Disadvantages of Trench Warfare

 Wet, cold
 Hard to get in and out of without being seen
 Easy to make by the enemy
 Easy to defend  Trenches were very dirty there was no
 Very cost-effective to build running water or flushing toilets
 You do not need a lot of men to defend  Created a stalemate
them  Trench foot
 Protection from grenades  Hard to maintain morale
 No man’s land  Food supplies
 Easily destroyed by gunfire
 Life in the Trenches “Gallery Walk”

Let’s explore life in the trenches during World War I by looking at some images from the time period! Here is
what you need to do:

1. There are ten (10) images from World War I trenches below.
2. Spend at least two minutes looking at each image.
3. After looking at the picture, in the box to the right of each image, use at least five (5) words to
describe life in the trenches based on the picture.

IMAGE 1: Water and Mud - Water and mud could be a problem in the trenches, particularly in the autumn
and winter months. Wooden ‘duckboards’ were used to line the bottom of trenches and the sides were
reinforced with sandbags.

Use at least five (5) words to

describe life in the trenches based
on this image.

Uncomfortable, murky, stationary,

dreary, brutal
IMAGE 2: Tea Time in the Trenches - Hot food was not supplied to front line soldiers until late 1915 and
even then it wasn't always a regular occurrence. Troops in the front line had a repetitive diet of tinned food,
sometimes served cold.
Use at least five (5) words to
describe life in the trenches based
on this image.

Unsanitary, canned food,

uncomfortable, small, fatigue

IMAGE 3: Sentry Duty - This photograph shows an infantryman on sentry duty, whilst some of his comrades
snatch a few moments of sleep behind him. They are in what was previously a German trench at Ovillers-la-
Boisselle on the Somme, July 1916.

Use at least five (5) words to

describe life in the trenches based
on this image.

Uncomfortable, dirty, unsanitary,

dilapidated, lethargy
IMAGE 4 – Getting to Sleep - When able to rest, soldiers in front line trenches would try and shelter from the
elements in dugouts. These varied from deep underground shelters to small hollows in the side of trenches – as
shown here.
Use at least five (5) words to
describe life in the trenches based
on this image
.

Uncomfortable, dirty, fatigued,

cramped, brutal

IMAGE 5 – Keeping Healthy - Soldiers in wet and muddy trenches were at risk from trench foot, caused by
continually wearing tight, cold and wet boots.  If untreated, trench foot could lead to gangrene, but it could be
prevented by regular changes of socks and foot inspections – as shown here.
Use at least five (5) words to
describe life in the trenches based
on this image.

Treacherous, onlookers,
unrelenting, “doctors”,
uncomfortable
IMAGE 6 – Over the Top – Life in the front line always carried an element of danger. The threat could be
from snipers, shellfire or from taking part in a trench raid or a major offensive. This rare photograph shows the
moment when the first men go over the top during a raid in spring 1917.

Use at least five (5) words to

describe life in the trenches based
on this image

Smoke, brutal, cramped, barb wire,

injury
IMAGE 6 – A Sea of Soldiers – This image shows a huge number of soldiers from the South Stafford and
North Stafford Regiments. They crossed the St Quentin Canal which was part of the Hindenburg line, a German
defensive position, in lifebelts. The photo captures one of two bridges which allowed guns to be taken across
the canal.

Use at least five (5) words to

describe life in the trenches based
on this image.

Crowded, dreary, intensive, active,

actual

IMAGE 7 – No Man’s Land – Canadian troops are seen here advancing over 'no mans land' and through the
German barbed wire whilst under fire.

Use at least five (5) words to describe life in the trenches based on this image.

Intensive, bitter, severe, protracted, perpetual

IMAGE 8 – Trench Rats – Trenches on the Western Front were little more than mud ditches crawling with
disease and vermin, filled with stagnant water and all too often the bodies of fallen comrades.

Use at least five (5) words to

describe life in the trenches based
on this image.

Unsanitary, barb wire, sullen,

dreary, boxed-in

IMAGE 9 – Cooking & Cleaning – Canadian Corps. infantrymen clean up and prepare food in a trench that
shows signs of heavy fighting.
Use at least five (5) words to
describe life in the trenches based
on this image.

Boxed-in, “happy”? (based off

facial expressions), underground,
damp, narrow

IMAGE 10 – German Attack – French troops throw rocks at advancing German troops from their hillside
trench in the Vosges, 1916. A dead soldier lies in the front of the photo.
 Use at least five (5) words to
describe life in the trenches based
on this image.

Boxed-in, a front, advanced,

muddy, gruesome

In at least five sentences below, describe the experience in the trenches for the soldiers of World War I. Use
your descriptive words from above if you need help. For example:
 Describe food and drink for the soldiers.
 Describe the weather conditions the soldiers faced.
 Describe the weapons used in the trenches.
 Describe the health and cleanliness of the soldiers.
 Describe everyday life of a soldier.

Experiences for the soldiers who partook in WW1 and had to be in the trenches were extremely bad
and unforgiving, For one, the food and drinks given were unsanitary. The food usually comprised of
canned beef or pea-soup. However, the diet was balanced with balanced meats and vegetables. The
drinks were dirty, though. Soldiers ended up with bacterial infections of the intestines resulted in
fevers, diarrhea, et cetera. Next, the weather conditions were muddy, cold with miserable conditions. A
lot of soldiers died from being exposed to the cold – the temperature was sometimes below zero within
the trenches in the winter. Moreover, the trenches in WW1 improved during the progression of the
war. The majority of the casualties in the war were inflicted using artillery. The military technology of
the time included important innovations in machine guns, grenades, et cetera. In conclusion, the
experiences in WW1 were dreary and brutal. The soldiers had to deal with unbearable conditions that
hindered their performance.
 WAIT! Before you submit, use the checklist below to make sure you completed everything!
Did you…
Answer all questions for the primary source on page 1-2?

Draw a picture describing life in the trenches on page 2?

Complete the guided notes on Trench Warfare (page 3)?

Use at least five words to describe each trench warfare picture (pages 4-10)

Respond to the question asking you to describe the experience of soldiers in the x
trenches on page 10? Remember, in writing your response you can use:
 Your picture from the primary source reading
 Your guided notes on trench warfare
 Any of the words you used to describe the images during the gallery walk