Soldiers Conditions
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Trench foot was a terrible disease that was caught because your feet are wet for lengthened periods of time. To prevent this disease, boards were laid down so that the soldiers were kept up out of the mud. If the disease was caught the soldiers feet had to be amputated.
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The soldiers had to go to the toilet in holes that were in the walls of the trenches. These holes were called latrines. The soldiers were often so weak from exhaustion that they fell into the holes and drowned. The latrines were filled in as the battalions left and new ones were dug. This was because the latrines were never meant to be permanent. (Duffy, Trench Latrines, 2009)
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Also the smell of the decaying bodies and latrines was gut wrenching and many became ill because of it. Because of this the soldiers had many cease fires to clean up the bodies before the fighting started again. They also had cease fires on special days like Christmas or just to eat a peaceful meal. (SBS1, 2011) The food that the soldiers ate consisted of bully beef, bread and biscuits. The bread and biscuits were so stale that they often broke the teeth of soldiers who ate them. (Darlington, 2012)
The Trenches
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Rats infested the trenches and ate the remains of dead humans. They would eat out the eyes and livers leaving a gross mess. There were two types of rats. The black rats and the brown rats. The soldiers feared the brown rats because they could often grow to the size of a cat. (Duffy, 2009)
The Trench cycle was when the soldiers would move throughout the different trenches. They would start in the front line and spend about 70 days there. They would then spend 30 days in the support trenches followed by 120 days in the reserves. They finally got 70 days of rest. Even during this rest period the soldiers would still have to do chores or duties that would endanger them. Other people would get stuck serving in the front lines longer than usual. (Duffy, 2009)
The Trench cycle was when the soldiers would move throughout the different trenches. They would start in the front line and spend about 70 days there. They would then spend 30 days in the support trenches followed by 120 days in the reserves. They finally got 70 days of rest. Even during this rest period the soldiers would still have to do chores or duties that would endanger them. Other people would get stuck serving in the front lines longer than usual. (Duffy, 2009)
Guy Nightingale
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Guy Nightingale was a captain in the first world war and his recount of the landing shows just how hard and terrifying this task was.
Sunday 25 April 1915
On the first landing there were many casualties and even more wounded. We were under constant enemy fire but we did not return their fire. We just dug small trenches and took cover. For the next 24 hours all we had for supplies was two biscuits and some water. (The landing on Beach 5)
Sunday 25 April 1915
On the first landing there were many casualties and even more wounded. We were under constant enemy fire but we did not return their fire. We just dug small trenches and took cover. For the next 24 hours all we had for supplies was two biscuits and some water. (The landing on Beach 5)
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