Sapping is a term used in siege operations to describe the digging of a covered trench (a “sap”) to approach a besieged place without danger from the enemy’s fire. The purpose of the sap is usually to advance a besieging army’s position towards an attacked fortification .
What was the purpose of the sandbags on the rear side of the trench?
The top two or three feet of the parapet and the parados (the rear side of the trench) would consist of a thick line of sandbags to absorb any bullets or shell fragments.
Why were trenches built in zig zags?
The trench system had a main fire trench or front line. All the trenches were dug in a zig-zag pattern so the enemy couldn’t shoot straight down the line and kill many soldiers . If a mortar, grenade or artillery shell would land in the trench, it would only get the soldiers in that section, not further down the line.
What was a listening post in ww1?
Listening posts were located far forward of the front line . Typically hidden, they were set up in narrow, shallow trenches or craters in No Man’s Land. Soldiers, called sappers, kept a close watch on any enemy activity and gathered information.
What killed thousands of soldiers in trenches?
Heavy Artillery by Colin Gill
With the development of trench warfare, increasingly large artillery was developed to fire high explosive shells and smash enemy trenches, like this battery of 9.2 inch howitzers. The majority of casualties on the Western Front were caused by artillery shells, explosions and shrapnel.
Why are the trenches so disgusting?
They were actually quite disgusting. There were all sorts of pests living in the trenches including rats, lice, and frogs. ... Rain caused the trenches to flood and get muddy . Mud could clog up weapons and make it hard to move in battle.
Why weren’t the trenches dug in straight lines?
Trenches were not dug in straight lines. Otherwise, if the enemy had a successive offensive , and got into your trenches, they could shoot straight along the line. ... Soldiers also made dugouts and funk holes in the side of the trenches to give them some protection from the weather and enemy fire.
What was the land between the trenches called?
“No Man’s Land” was a popular term during the First World War to describe the area between opposing armies and trench lines.
Did soldiers sleep in the trenches?
Daily life
Most activity in front line trenches took place at night under cover of darkness. During daytime soldiers would try to get some rest, but were usually only able to sleep for a few hours at a time .
How did soldiers go to the toilet in the trenches?
These latrines were trench toilets. They were usually pits dug into the ground between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres deep. Two people who were called sanitary personnel had the job of keeping the latrines in good condition for each company.
What is the communication trench?
Definitions of communication trench. a trench that provides protected passage between the rear and front lines of a defensive position .
Did soldiers eat rats in ww1?
With no proper disposal system the rats would feast off food scraps . The rats grew bigger and bolder and would even steal food from a soldier’s hand. But for some soldiers the rats became their friends. They captured them and kept them as pets, bringing a brief reprisal from the horror which lay all around.
How did soldiers use dead bodies in the trenches?
Many men killed in the trenches were buried almost where they fell . ... Two or three rats would always be found on a dead body. They usually went for the eyes first and then they burrowed their way right into the corpse.
What weapon killed the most in ww1?
The greatest number of casualties and wounds were inflicted by artillery , followed by small arms, and then by poison gas. The bayonet, which was relied on by the prewar French Army as the decisive weapon, actually produced few casualties.
What were trenches like 3 facts?
Most trenches were between 1-2 metres wide and 3 metres deep . Trenches weren’t dug in straight lines. The WWI trenches were built as a system, in a zigzag pattern with many different levels along the lines. They had paths dug so that soldiers could move between the levels.
What were the dangers of living in the trenches?
Trench life involved long periods of boredom mixed with brief periods of terror. The threat of death kept soldiers constantly on edge, while poor living conditions and a lack of sleep wore away at their health and stamina.
