World War 1 Trench Warfare Essay

“Imagine yourself in the pitch dark, after two or three days of wet, cold, hunger, sleeplessness, staggering down a trench, knee-deep in mud, carrying various burdens that almost equal your own body-weight” (Ellis, 48). This was the everyday life of the typical soldier involved in the World War I trench warfare. During WWI trench warfare was common. It began in September 1914 with the German army digging themselves in for a battle that would last what seemed like a life time for the soldiers involved. Soldiers on either side alike lived in deplorable conditions. They lived in these dirt holes that they soon called their homes. They lacked the means for proper sanitation, food, clothing, medical attention, rest and much more.

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Some soldiers spent close to fifty one days in the lines while other spent less. It mostly depended on the lack of soldiers or the need of protection in times of crisis. This does not mean that they spent all this time in one spot either. They were constantly on the move from sector to sector. As each solider moved, so did their equipment and pack. Depending on which army the solider belonged to, this meant that the typical solider was carrying 55 pounds to 75 pounds worth of equipment and belongings. “This Equipment comprised of: two blankets rolled up in a ground sheet, a spare pair of boots, a sheepskin or quilted coat, a shovel, or pair of heavy wire-clippers, a mess-tin and a large pail for rations, two liters of win, two quarts of water, food for four days, 200 cartridges, six hand grenades and a gas-mask, as well as assorted clothes and personal belongings.” (Ellis, 36). Soldiers would generally cover 15 to 20 miles with only 10 minutes of rest per the hour while tracking in muddy trenches with these immensely heavy