The British soldiers in the western front were hugely affected physically. The trenches were dug as a consequence of stalemate, where both armies could not advance, so this was where the soldiers spent most of their time. The conditions of these trenches affected the soldiers immensely. The trenches were unhygienic, with many troops living in close proximity, soldiers caught lice, and these lice were irritating and led soldiers to loose morale. They were pale, and left blotchy red bite marks all over the body, they caused frenzied scratching and left a sour smell. The method of getting rid of these lice was ‘chatting’ this was when the soldiers burned the lice with a candle. This became a regular job, the trouble was that the lice laid eggs in the seams of the clothing so no matter how much u washed and shook your shirt there would always be a new-generation of eggs waiting to hatch as soon as the shirt was put on again. Therefore this affected the soldiers by leading them to loose their enthusiasm and irritate them. With many soldiers dying in the trenches, they were buried almost where they fell; the decomposing bodies teamed with the scraps of food, attracted many rats, with the fact that one pair of rats could produce an offspring of 880 rats a year, trenches were soon swarming with rats. Rats were also a demoralising experience for the soldiers as they affected the soldiers both physically and mentally. The soldiers witnessed the rats feeding on the flesh of their fellow troops, they would also be a constant threat on the soldiers who had a fear of the creatures.
The British soldiers experiences of war.
Veterans describes it as being ‘a shock to the system’
Weapons and injuries, new weapons machine guns mustard gas.
Conditions……………..fighting, frontline, ‘no mans land’
Routine and discipline brutal offices
Conscription kicks in when people now had to join when the grim reality of war is exposed to the public at home. People now not enthusiastic and dying off this was introduced in 1916
The trenches and conditions were wet and de motivating
The routine was boring and exhausting
Morale decreases as a result of this as the officers try to keep morale up. Needing it for effective soldiers and for them to fight properly. However soldiers felt depressed some were suicidal and anxious of what was going to happen to them when they were going to get killed etc.
The mental impact of the soldiers was just as bad as the physical impact. This effected the soldiers in a bad way.
With most soldiers feeling a sense of boredom their routine mostly entailed for them to sit and wait.
A common condition that the soldiers experienced was shell shock this condition was the mental breakdown of the soldiers caused by the soldiers horrific conditions and the anxiety and mental experiences of their conditions and seeing people die their friends etc.
The uncertainties of war life was also a major part of the mental impact faced on the soldiers with them not knowing what their next duties was, if they were going to be on the front line or spend more time in the trenches. The uncertainties of whether or not there were still going to live.
The soldiers had a strain of their families, them missing their families at home.
They were not prepared for what they experienced.
The social impact was just as bad for the soldiers as the mental and physical impact faced on the western front.
The mass death was a huge impact with everybody knowing someone who was killed
Friendship and camaraderie was harsh on the soldiers with people becoming very close and becoming friends with them ‘being on the same boat’ as one another and them watching the people who there were close to and their friends and family being killed around them. With their survival instinct and sticking together.
Impact and links with home with streets upon streets had their curtains closed as a mark of respect for someone who had died.
In conclusion, the Great War had social, mental, and physical impact all contributed to the harsh conditions faced by the soldiers.
Veterans can still remember the harsh conditions which prove how bad the conditions were.
26,000,000 people had lost their lives.