‘Life in the trenches was not as bad as

some people make out’

The life of soldiers in the trenches during World War 1 was and still is portrayed as being gruelling,
intense and revolting. There are several reports and sources of the rough life soldiers had to endure
on the front line however they may have been some positive aspects which are not discussed as
often. It is important to consider soldiers feelings about trench warfare; some may have been
gloomy and others upbeat and optimistic for reasons such as comradeship and patriotism. These
issues will be discussed in further detail.

Without a doubt, trench warfare was common across the Western Front in countries such as France
and the use of different weapons like Artillery and Firearms became more prominent. The use of
Artillery increased as they became more powerful and would pound the enemy’s trenches with
hundreds of shells. Artillery bombardments affected life in the trenches as they were more deadly
and caused more deaths than any other weapon. Hence, artillery made it harder to survive and was
the most crucial weapons for soldiers in the trenches due to their explosive nature. In addition to the
effect of weapons on the soldier’s life, poison gas was such a terrifying weapon which instilled fear in
the military. Poison gas was poisonous, and troops struggled to breathe and cough. Mustard gas led
to certain death in soldiers however many gases such as poison gas were too weak to cause major
damage to health.

Sadly, life in the trenches led to an extremely large number of casualties. At the start of World War 1
soldiers would often go ‘over the top’, bombarding the enemy’s trench with artillery. This was
known as barraging. On both sides, the armed forces would clamber into ‘no man’s land’ and shoot
straight at each other in the area between the opposition forces. Unsurprisingly, this rash way of
fighting rarely worked and led to several fatalities. As the war progressed, the Germans were known
to attack at night when the enemy were weaker. By using experienced military personnel, they
further increased the number of mortalities. The Battle of the Somme is an obvious example of the
brutality of life in the trenches when 60,000 died on the first day of fighting in France.

Aside from the dangerous military side to trench life, the soldiers had a difficult time in the trenches
when it came to disease and personnel hygiene. Their daily lives could change at any time as they
faced problems in the daily lives. As mentioned before, they could be subject to artillery
bombardment for consecutive days, but their trenches were gruesome. They had to deal with dirty,
disgusting conditions, with rotting bodies strewn across the ground, sewage and fellow soldiers who
were not clean. The military were exposed to ‘trench foot’ as they often had their feet placed in cold
water for days on end whilst freezing in the cold. Where they slept would also have been infested by
rats that would eat dead bodies and rubbish. As a result of the unsanitary conditions, infectious
diseases like typhoid and cholera spread rapidly. There was a psychological impact of being subject
to persistent bombardment as soldiers developed Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

On the other hand, one may argue that there we many positive aspects to life in the trenches.
Although life could be dangerous, there was a sense of comradeship as the soldiers felt proud to
achieve things that they never thought were possible. Patriotism was another feeling in the trenches
as the soldiers were honoured to fight for the homeland and country as well as represent them on
the front in the war. The British troops in particular were lucky enough to receive good rations of
food even though the meals could be repetitive at times. They were even fortunate enough to
obtain luxury presents such as alcohol and tobacco. The soldiers learnt valuable lessons such as
respect, which they showed to their generals who were down to earth and did not engage in
activities such as drinking instead of fighting on the frontline. The trenches also provided a safe place
for the troops and protection as they reloaded their weapons or hid from enemy fire.

In conclusion, soldiers enjoyed a slightly more relaxed life in the trenches when they received
luxurious gifts and when they were not being bombarded by the opposition. They felt a sense of
patriotism which was important when they were fighting for their nation. Contrariwise, the soldiers
had and challenging and arduous time defending themselves from artillery bombardment and
poisonous gas from the opposing forces. This must have made life just as bad as people make out.
The Battle of the Somme establishes the fact that life in a trench would not have been comfortable if
thousands of fellow soldiers were dying you. The horrid nature of diseases such as trench foot and
the macabre sight of rat infestations led me to the conclusion that life in the trenches was
regrettably how people make it seem.