Life Below Ground

The use of machine guns and rapid-firing artillery made fighting on open ground impractical. Instead, soldiers dug in and sheltered below ground level.

Dense entanglements of barbed wire protected the trenches against enemy attack and a stretch of no-man’s-land separated the armies. Towards the end of the War, tanks, which were resistant to machine gun and rifle fire, helped bring an end to trench warfare.

Trench Foot

Prolonged exposure of soldiers’ feet to the damp and cold conditions in trenches caused damage to nerves and small blood vessels, which led to a condition called trench foot. The tissue in the feet then started to die and could also swell. Advanced trench foot resulted in blisters and open sores, which potentially led to fungal infections. If left untreated, trench foot usually resulted in gangrene.

If trench foot was treated in time by keeping the foot dry and clean, complete recovery was possible. However, if gangrene had set in, amputation was required. Soldiers were given tins of whale oil to rub on their feet for a protective barrier.