Trench Life

1) Find the following words in the article. For each, write out the sentence where it is used
and then define the word.

Transition:
The sentence: “The transition from civilian to soldier was not easy, and everyone had to learn
much about military procedures and culture uniforms, ranks, insignia, rations, weaponry,
terminology—and, most importantly, adjust to the presence of aggression, violence and death.”
Definition: the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another

Webbing:
The sentence: “The load-bearing equipment—designed by J.W. Oliver, a Canadian surgeon
who served with the British Army in the Red River Expedition of 1870—was an awkward,
uncomfortable jumble of belts and pouches. British webbing soon replaced it.”
Definition: a strong, woven material of hemp, cotton, or jute, in bands of various widths, used for
belts, carrying straps, harness,etc.

Counterattack:
The sentence: “The ammunition was necessary to repel enemy counterattacks when objectives
were seized.”
Definition: an attack made as an offset or reply to another attack.

Brazier:
The sentence: “This was barely tolerable when heated over a brazier at the front and fat-laden
swill when it had to be eaten cold.”
Definition: “a metal receptacle for holding live coals or other fuel, as for heating a room.”

Tot:
The sentence: “Before an attack, there might be an extra tot.”
Definition: a small quantity of anything.

Monotonous:
The sentence: “Amid all this, the workaday world of soldiers at or near the front was, at times, a
monotonous routine broken, thankfully, by letters from home, packages of foodstuffs, socks or
tobacco, and dark humour. “
Definition: lacking in variety; tediously unvarying:

Serge:
The sentence: “Officers purchased their own uniforms, tailored and made of better material than
soldier’s serge.”
Definition: a twilled worsted or woolen fabric used especially for clothing.
Respirator:
The sentence: “Each man also carried a respirator, iron rations (a tin box with preserved meat,
meat extract, cheese, biscuit, tea, sugar and salt), mess tins, personal items, a water bottle, two
empty sandbags and a groundsheet.”
Definition: a mask like device, usually of gauze, worn over the mouth, or nose and mouth, to
prevent the inhalation of noxious substances or the like.

Batman:
The sentence: “Each officer had a batman who looked after his kit, clothes and cooking. The
batman would make tea and fry bacon and occasionally an egg for his officer.”
Definition: a soldier assigned to an officer as a servant.

Allocation:
The sentence: “After the action was over, the survivors might get their platoon’s full allocation
despite the dead and wounded no longer needing their ration.”
Definition: the act of allocating; apportionment.

Foibles:
The sentence: “Uniforms and gear had irritating foibles.”
Definition: a minor weakness or failing of character; slight flaw or defect

Superseded:
The sentence: “Canadian artillery was also largely obsolete, and the Colt machine guns
hurriedly purchased from the United States were not included in the British inventory; all would
be superseded.”
Definition: to replace in power, authority, effectiveness, acceptance, use, etc., as by another
person or thing.

Mete:
The sentence: “The ORs (other ranks) were led by NCOs (non-commissioned officers) who,
along with one-pip wonders (second lieutenants), enforced discipline in their platoons, using the
KRs (King’s Regulations) to mete out punishments such as CB (confined to barracks). “
Definition: to distribute or apportion by measure; allot; dole (usually followed by out )

Teetotaller:
The sentence: “The regular soldiers, however, were limited to a daily two-ounce shot of rum—
unless the senior officer was a teetotaller, as some were, and substituted soup.”
Definition: a person who abstains totally from intoxicating drinks.
Contingent:
The sentence: “Gathered at the Valcartier military training camp in Quebec in August and
September of 1914, many of the men of the first contingent waited for uniforms to arrive.”
Definition: dependent for existence, occurrence, character, etc., on something not yet certain;
conditional (often followed by on or upon )

Jerkin:
The sentence: “The uniforms remained, but leather jerkins and sheepskins were common in
cold weather.”
Definition: a close-fitting jacket or short coat, usually sleeveless, as one of leather worn in the
16th and 17th centuries.

Convalesce:
The sentence: “A blighty was a non-life-threatening wound that got a soldier sent to convalesce
in England.”
Definition: to recover health and strength after illness; make progress toward recovery of
health.

Consolation:
The sentence: “When the front is altogether a beastly place,” wrote one infantryman, “we have
one consolation.”
Definition: the act of consoling; comfort; solace.

Puttees:
The sentence: “A challenge for every new soldier was properly putting on the nine-foot-long
protective woollen wraps known as puttees, which were designed to keep water, mud and
stones out of the boots.”
Definition: a long strip of cloth wound spirally around the leg from ankle to knee, worn
especially formerly as part of a soldier's uniform.

Repel:
The sentence: “The ammunition was necessary to repel enemy counterattacks when objectives
were seized.”
Definition: to thrust back or away.

Apocryphal:
The sentence: “Some observers thought Canadians cursed more than other soldiers, but this
was likely apocryphal.”
Definition: of doubtful authorship or authenticity.
Hoarded:
The sentence: “Rum was doled out by an NCO and had to be drunk in his presence, not
hoarded.”
Definition: a supply or accumulation that is hidden or carefully guarded for preservation, future
use, etc

2) Locate the following initials and slang terms in the article and state what each
means?

OR’s – Other ranks

Emma gees – Machine guns or MG’s
Cushy – Very comfortable
Brass hat – High-ranking officer
Sally Ann – Salvation army
Big Berthas – 420mm German howitzers
Shell shock – Psychological disturbance caused by prolonged exposure to bombardment
Civvies – Civilians
NCO’s – Non-commissioned officers
Pip Emma – Machine guns afternoon were called PM
Cooties – Lice
Red tabs – Gilt-embroidered red patches worn on uniform collars
Potato mashers – Grenades
Over the top – Leaving the trench
Maconochie – Tinned stew of turnips, carrots, and potatoes named for its manufacturer in
Aberdeen, Scotland.
Tommy Cookers – Camp stoves with solidified alcohol fuel
KR’s – Kings Regulations
Pull-through – Wire gauze on a cord used to clean a rifle bore
Chit – Voucher
Tommies - British
Rum jars – Mortar shells
Zero hour – A time in which a planned operation is set to begin
Spanish flu – The influenza pandemic
M&V – Meat and Vegetables
CB – Confined to barracks
Housewife – A sewing kit
QM – Quartermaster
Canucks – Canadians
Crumps – Shells that exploded with a distinctive c-r-r-r-ump sound
Wind up – Instill fear
Trench fever - Rickettsia
Ack-ack - For anti-aircraft artillery or A and A
Blighty - Was a non-life threatening wound that got a soldier sent to convalesce in England.
Blighty was also referred to as England itself.
Trench coat – A military-style double-breasted raincoat
Buying boys – After their popular commander, Lieutenant- General Sir Julian Bying
Whiz bangs – Small-calibre high-velocity shells
Cold feet – Yielding to that fear
“Salat Schuessel” – Salad bowl
Trench foot – From standing on wet, cold unsanitary ground and characterized by numbness,
tissue turning red or blue, decay, swelling, blisters, open sores, fungal infection and gangrene.
Tin hat, Dishpan hat, Wash basin, Battle bowler – A steel combat helmet also known as a
shrapnel helmet
Bought the farm, Knocked out, Pushing up daisies, Number was up, Went west – When
soldiers were killed
Boche, Hun, Fritz, Jerries – All terms describing the Germans

4) What items did soldiers have to carry and how much did this weight? How do you
think this would impact the soldier’s combat effectiveness?

The items the soldiers had to carry were as follows, rifles, bayonets, rounds of ammunition,
some carried the Lewis light machine gun, ammunition drums, grenades and flares, all soldiers
also carried a respirator, iron rations (a tin box with preserved meat, meat extract, cheese,
biscuits, tea, sugar & salt), mess tins, personal items, a water bottle, 2 empty sandbags, a
groundsheet, shovel, pick and wire cutter. The entire kit could weigh as much as 65 pounds.
This would impact the soldier’s combat effectiveness because the load was too heavy to lug
around and act quickly. Their reaction time would be slow and to put the pack on and off would
also take some not and not be quick.

5) The average person consumes between 2000-2500 calories/day. How many calories
were soldiers provided for every day? Why do you think this number was so high?

Soldiers were provided 4,300 calories per day. This number was high and given to the soldiers
because it was said that soldiering was hard work; therefore doubling their food intake would
help. Oftentimes this was not achieved because there was not too much food.

6) How were the Germans making it difficult for the Allies to feed their troops?

The Germans made it difficult for the Allies to feed their troops because the U-Boats sank
merchant ships carrying grains and other food from North America.

7) Name three ways the army and soldiers supplemented their rations?
Three ways the army and soldiers supplemented their rations were, firstly, the Canadian Corps
instructed its divisions to operate farms in France, secondly, soldiers would often steal food from
the French and Belgian farmers and thirdly, the soldiers would visit makeshift taverns where
they could buy eggs, chips and cheap beer.

8) How much alcohol and tobacco did a soldier receive each day? Why were alcohol
and tobacco considered “morale boosters”?

Each soldier received a maximum of 2 ounces of tobacco and 2 fluid ounces of rum or 16 fluid
ounces of porter. They were considered a “morale booster” because the soldiers felt confident
and invincible thinking they could, “go through fire or do anything.” Their confidence level was
boosted.