Course Learning

During the First World War, many soldiers fought in long ditches called trenches.

Trenches were dug into the ground and were where soldiers lived, worked, and stayed safe from enemy attacks.

Life in the trenches was very difficult. They were often cold, wet, muddy, and uncomfortable. The poor conditions could make soldiers ill, and some developed a painful condition called trench foot from having wet feet for long periods.

The German army had rows of trenches on one side, and the Allied armies had rows of trenches on the other.

Between them was an open area called No Man’s Land. This was a dangerous place that soldiers had to cross when attacking the other side.

Soldiers only got to sleep in the afternoon during daylight and at night for an hour at a time. During rest time they wrote letters and played card games.

This included a gas mask; weapons and ammunition; protective clothes like boots and a helmet; ‘webbing equipment’ which contained personal items like shaving kits and water bottles; and a shovel.

They sent items such as chocolate, tobacco and tinned food. By 1917 the ration for an average British soldier was just 6 ounces of 'bully beef' (called corned beef today).

Sadly the meat was mostly fat. This and a shortage of fresh fruit and vegetables was responsible for many soldiers to suffer from upset stomachs!

Soldiers were allowed to write letters home and were given free postcards or headed paper. But most letters were read by an officer who checked they did not give away secrets or spoil morale.

During the first Christmas of the war, something very special happened in some places along the Western Front.

On Christmas Eve, soldiers from both sides stopped fighting and met in the area between the trenches, called No Man’s Land.

They sang Christmas carols together, including Silent Night (Stille Nacht in German).

The soldiers were friendly to each other and even exchanged gifts. German soldiers shared sausages with the British soldiers, and the British soldiers gave chocolates to the Germans.

For a short time, the fighting stopped, and the soldiers celebrated Christmas together.

On Christmas Day 1914, something very special happened during the war. A British soldier kicked a football out of his trench, and German soldiers joined in for a game. It was said that Germany won 3–2!

The British army leaders did not approve of the Christmas Truce. They worried that the Germans might be planning an attack. However, the soldiers ignored these worries, and no fighting took place on Christmas Day.

In some areas, the truce continued until the New Year. Sadly, it did not last forever, and before long, soldiers on both sides had to return to life and fighting in the trenches.

Did you know? The Christmas Truce is remembered as a time when soldiers showed friendship and kindness, even during a war.