Trenches on the Western Front
Whilst the European powers were at war, Australia was busily preparing an army, the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The AIF was first deployed into Egypt, where they fought alongside the New Zealand forces to combat the Turkish army. The Australian and New Zealand forces became known as the ANZACs and in 1916; they marched onto the western front to help France in its effort to drive the German forces back.
The western front had become a series of trenches stretching 750 kilometres from the Belgian Coast to the Swiss border. The trenches were constructed into an ‘s’ shape which became very complex as the war progressed.
The trenches were an army's front line of defence and became a most dangerous place. The trenches were the domain of infantry, with supporting arms, engineers and artillery observers. Behind the trenches was a mass of supply lines, training establishments and headquarters where most of the men were employed.
The trenches were an army's front line of defence and became a most dangerous place. The trenches were the domain of infantry, with supporting arms, engineers and artillery observers. Behind the trenches was a mass of supply lines, training establishments and headquarters where most of the men were employed.
In 1914, the opposing forces had initially fought a war involving the typical movement of soldiers and infantry into battle and where trenches were only used as temporary cover. But both sides soon found that modern weapons such as machine guns and rapid firing artillery were too deadly for exposed troop formations. From the Battle of the Aisne onward both sides started to dig complex systems of trenches to hold the ground they had won or were defending. The war quickly became bogged down into a stalemate of attacks and counter-attacks where neither side made any noticeable gains in territory.
Depending on the location and soil type different techniques were required to build the trenches. In soft sandy soil, which would crumble in the rain, the walls of the trenches had to be supported with wood, sandbags or other suitable materials. In other places, where the ground was boggy (because of the height of the water table) trenches were built upwards, with sandbags and wooden ramparts rather than dug into the ground. On other occasions the soldiers had to dig their trenches into solid rock.
In a typical trench system a network of trenches consisted of a series of two or more trench lines running parallel to each other and being at least 1 mile (1.6 km) in depth. Each trench was dug in a zigzag pattern so that if a shell exploded or an enemy got into the trench only that area would be affected. A trenches only defence against enemy fire was a parapet. Parapets were constructed along the top of trench walls using only barbed wire and sandbags. Each of the main lines of trenches were connected to each other and to the rear by a series of communications trenches.
In a typical trench system a network of trenches consisted of a series of two or more trench lines running parallel to each other and being at least 1 mile (1.6 km) in depth. Each trench was dug in a zigzag pattern so that if a shell exploded or an enemy got into the trench only that area would be affected. A trenches only defence against enemy fire was a parapet. Parapets were constructed along the top of trench walls using only barbed wire and sandbags. Each of the main lines of trenches were connected to each other and to the rear by a series of communications trenches.
Images:
{Header}: Over the Top [Image]. (n.a.) Retrieved from http://dianaoverbey.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/over-the-top1.jpg?w=500&h=292
{Map}: Western Front [Map]. (n.a.) Retrieved from http://deanoworldtravels.wordpress.com/tag/etaples/
{Diagram}: Trench Layout [Diagram]. (n.a.) Retrieved from http://dianaoverbey.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/trench-construction-in-world-war-i/
{Header}: Over the Top [Image]. (n.a.) Retrieved from http://dianaoverbey.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/over-the-top1.jpg?w=500&h=292
{Map}: Western Front [Map]. (n.a.) Retrieved from http://deanoworldtravels.wordpress.com/tag/etaples/
{Diagram}: Trench Layout [Diagram]. (n.a.) Retrieved from http://dianaoverbey.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/trench-construction-in-world-war-i/