Dynamics of Trenches

Vocabulary

parapet: the front of the trench, usually about ten feet high, covered at the top with two to three feet of sandbags

parados: backside of the trench was lower than the parapet; also sealed at the top by sandbags

fire step: two or three foot ledge where soldiers would stand to fire

duck boards: placed at the bottom of the trench to avoid 'trench foot' from thr common flooding

No Man's Land: the few hundred yards in between the opposing trenches, usually covered with barbed wire entanglements

Notes

• Trenches were dug in a zig-zag pattern so that they could not be easily taken by intruding enemies
• Each trench had a listening post at the end, where men would siat at nighttime and listen for any sounds.
• Flooding was a consistent problem and this led to numerous cases of rat infestation
• Levels of trenches were built (front-line, support, reserve and communication trench) so that the enemy could not easily take over one trench