Life in the Trenches

Trench warfare

ÒAs WWI began, Germany invaded Belgium on their way to France

ÒIn Belgium the Allies stopped them

ÒGermans couldn’t continue, but Allies couldn’t push them back.

ÒStalemate

ÒBoth side dug defensive trenches in the ground

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ÒTrenches

ÒTrenches - excavation or depression in the ground

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ÒEarly 1915, the first Canadian soldiers arrived in France as part of the British army

ÒThey dug and lived in Trenches

ÒThe line of trenches went from the North Sea to the Swiss Alps

ÒThe “Western Front”

ÒCentral Powers also fought Russians on the Eastern Front

ÒFighting also in Africa, Asia, and South America

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ÒTrench

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ÒBarbed wire was placed in front of the trenches

ÒThe area between the enemy trenches was called no man’s land

ÒTrench life

ÒIt rained a lot

ÒSoldiers were often wet, cold and dirty

ÒThey had to work, eat, sleep in the water or mud

ÒWhen not fighting, soldiers lived in holes in the ground called : dug out’s

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ÒTrench foot

Òmedical condition caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary and cold conditions

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ÒTrench life

ÒTwo big problems: Rats and Lice

ÒTrench life

ÒRats would eat the bodies of dead soldiers in no man’s land

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ÒDisease and infections were everywhere because of rats, lice and flies

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ÒDying soldiers cried, dead & rotting bodies smelled, the guns never stopped firing on the trenches

ÒTrench life

ÒSoldiers had to climb out of the trench to attack the enemy.  This was called “going over the top”

ÒSoldiers knew they were going to die

ÒShellshock: when you become mentally ill from fighting

ÒMany soldiers wanted the war to end.

ÒChristmas Day 1914 British & German soldiers played football and spoke about peace.

ÒBodies of more than 11,000 Canadian soldiers were never recovered

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ÒCANADA’S CONTRIBUTION

ÒCanada’s first major battle was at Second Battle of Ypres, Belgium

ÒApril 1915

ÒNew German surprise weapon: Chlorine Gas

ÒSome allies ran away, Canadians stayed!

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ÒWhere is Belgium?

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ÒBattle of the somme

ÒJuly 1st 1916 – British launched major attack near the Somme River in France

ÒGermans were ready

ÒTerrible bloodbath for both sides

Ò60,000 British casualties on the 1st day

ÒBattle of the somme

ÒFirst use of the tank

ÒAttack lasted 5 months

Ò24,000 Canadians killed

Ò624,000 Allied soldiers killed

ÒGained 545 kilometres

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ÒCanadian army’s biggest victory was in April 1917.

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ÒVimy Ridge memorial

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ÒVimy ridge

ÒThe Allies tried to capture the hill many times, but failed

Ò200,000 soldiers died trying

ÒCanadians planned the attack

ÒThey tunnelled under the hill + used explosive mines.

ÒCanadians were successful!

ÒSome say we became an independent country because of Vimy Ridge

ÒArthur Currie

ÒCanadian General

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ÒCanadian Flag during WWI

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Ò20,000 Canadians joined the RAF (Royal Air Force)

ÒAirplanes were a new invention

ÒMost famous Canadian WWI

    pilot was: Billy Bishop

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ÒPlanes were not strong, crashed easily

ÒMachine guns were put on planes

Ò“Dog-Fights” – fights between planes

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ÒCanada now had respect for it’s help in the war

ÒCanada was now seen as a country, not a colony