life in the trenches
photo courtesy of
http://wartoendallwars.weebly.com
Most Australians have heard of the horrors that Australian men faced while serving in the trenches. One can only imagine; swollen corpses, rats and lice, knee high in mud and nothing that could be deemed a toilet. However during the war the trenches were only a small proportion. As the most dangerous place to serve, the trenches were filled with artillery. They were backed up by a support trench and a reserve trench. Trenches varied depending on location. If the ground was boggy the soldiers would not so much dig a trench, but build on up around them. If the ground was dry and chalky, easy to dig into, they would often dig in repeatedly if rain happened to crumble the sides. In some cases the trenches were less than 18 inches deep. In Gallipoli, when the Australian soldiers first arrived, the climate was at its best. However, due to persisting gunfire and the horrors of war soldiers had little if any sleep.
As many of the soldiers from Australia were used to the searing heat, the cold Gallipoli winter imposed on their comfort zone. During this time the men had little appropriate gear, wearing only the clothes they had during the warmer months. Men would huddle together under dirty blankets to try and keep warm. It was not uncommon for men to freeze to death on duty or suffer frostbite. Many lost fingers and limbs as they froze and stopped functioning.
The army failed to foresee the lack of water in Gallipoli. There was little water and many went thirsty. Their diet consisted of canned beef bully, biscuits, tea, sugar and sometimes jam. They rarely had vegetables or fruit. As over 200,000 men died in the trenches of Gallipoli many were unburied and has swollen and burst. The smells were terrible. A mixture of death, poisonous gas, cess pits (toilets) and blood would have made life unbearable. Each solder was assigned chores and had inspection. Yes, even in these chaotic and deadly times there was a basic order. What occurred at dawn was known as morning hate. Dawn was a major time of battle. Continuous shooting into the darkness and early morning mist keeps the trenches safe from unexpected invasion. The stress and loss that the Australians faced was massive. Every day spent was literally a living hell.
Imagine spending each minute of every day waiting for an enemy attack, medical supplies, basic first aid, water and food. The shock and devastation the young men found waiting for them in the war was huge. Being so far from home in a place where the technology and media couldn’t reach made many home sick. Their only connection to the outside world was the occasional letter that took three months to arrive. Their families back home heard the glorified version of war, unable to grasp the horrors that the soldiers faced that lay far across the ocean. The shock and revelation of war soon caught up with the men and stayed with them for the remainder of their life.
As many of the soldiers from Australia were used to the searing heat, the cold Gallipoli winter imposed on their comfort zone. During this time the men had little appropriate gear, wearing only the clothes they had during the warmer months. Men would huddle together under dirty blankets to try and keep warm. It was not uncommon for men to freeze to death on duty or suffer frostbite. Many lost fingers and limbs as they froze and stopped functioning.
The army failed to foresee the lack of water in Gallipoli. There was little water and many went thirsty. Their diet consisted of canned beef bully, biscuits, tea, sugar and sometimes jam. They rarely had vegetables or fruit. As over 200,000 men died in the trenches of Gallipoli many were unburied and has swollen and burst. The smells were terrible. A mixture of death, poisonous gas, cess pits (toilets) and blood would have made life unbearable. Each solder was assigned chores and had inspection. Yes, even in these chaotic and deadly times there was a basic order. What occurred at dawn was known as morning hate. Dawn was a major time of battle. Continuous shooting into the darkness and early morning mist keeps the trenches safe from unexpected invasion. The stress and loss that the Australians faced was massive. Every day spent was literally a living hell.
Imagine spending each minute of every day waiting for an enemy attack, medical supplies, basic first aid, water and food. The shock and devastation the young men found waiting for them in the war was huge. Being so far from home in a place where the technology and media couldn’t reach made many home sick. Their only connection to the outside world was the occasional letter that took three months to arrive. Their families back home heard the glorified version of war, unable to grasp the horrors that the soldiers faced that lay far across the ocean. The shock and revelation of war soon caught up with the men and stayed with them for the remainder of their life.