What made front line soldiers difficult?

On the Western Front, the war was fought by soldiers in trenches. Trenches were long, narrow ditches dug into the ground where soldiers lived. They were very muddy, uncomfortable and the toilets overflowed. These conditions caused some soldiers to develop medical problems such as trench foot.

Why was trench warfare so difficult for soldiers?

Advances in technology meant that enemy lines had machine guns that were able to fire 400-500 bullets per minute. This made each battle extremely difficult to gain head in. Trench warfare took the lives of many good soldiers, and was in no way an effective way to battle.

How were injured soldiers transported ww1?

The wounded were sorted and moved along a medical chain via a transport network that included: stretcher bearers. horse-drawn wagons. motorised ambulances.

What happened to injured soldiers in ww1?

The seriously injured were taken by ambulance to a casualty clearing station. This was a set of tents or huts where emergency treatment, including surgery, was carried out. They were then transferred to a hospital away from the front, where they would be looked after by nurses, most of whom were volunteers.

Why was life in the trenches difficult?

Life in the trenches was very difficult because they were dirty and flooded in bad weather. Sustained exposure to the wet, muddy conditions could cause Trench Foot, which sometimes would result in the foot being amputated. Cold weather was dangerous too, and soldiers often lost fingers or toes to frostbite.

Why is it difficult to fight from the trenches?

Rain caused the trenches to flood and get muddy. Mud could clog up weapons and make it hard to move in battle. Also, the constant moisture could cause an infection called Trench Foot that, if untreated, could become so bad that a soldier’s feet would have to be amputated.

How were allied soldiers transported from England to the front?

War material had to be railed to a Channel port and, until special ferries were built to carry wagons, loaded onto a ferry, reloaded onto a French train or barges and carried forward to the main supply dumps behind the British lines.

What challenges were there to treating soldiers during World War 1?

Caring for casualties. Casualties had to be taken from the field of battle to the places where doctors and nurses could treat them.

Sickness and malingering. In addition to wounds, many soldiers became ill.

Emotional trauma. Wounding was not always physical.

Back home.

A final cure.

What were conditions like in the front line of the war?

Conditions in the front line were often horrendous, with cold weather, heavy rain resulting in knee-deep mud, lack of drinking water at times and infestation by lice.

How were the wounded treated at the front line?

The wounded were divided into three categories that could be summed up as ‘trivial, treatable and terrible’. Soldiers with minor injuries were treated quickly and returned to the front line. Those with more serious but still treatable injuries were ‘patched up’ enough to be transported to the base hospital.

How to transport the wounded from the war zone?

Over the years, every available mode of transport, animal and mechanical, has been used to transport the wounded from the war zone. In addition to good transport, mobile and portable equipment has helped medical teams to treat the injured while on the move.

How were injured soldiers treated in WW1?

The war was a time of change for the treatment of injuries and illness. Injured and sick soldiers needed to be treated quickly so they could go back to fighting as soon as possible. Casualty stations were set up near battlefields, some by the Red Cross. Female volunteers worked as nurses and drove ambulances.