Meal time for New Zealand soldiers in a front line trench in 1918, near Le Signy Farm, within 200 metres of the Germans. (H468, Kippenberger Military Archive)
One of the distinguishing characteristics of World War I was the development of trench warfare. This term has led to the popular image of thousands of men flinging themselves heroically into the face of withering fire from well-protected defensive positions. The huge casualty figures from a variety of set-piece battles seem to support this image. Yet the reality of trench warfare was more complex than this popular perception.
Use the links below to find out more about the evolution of trench warfare.
| The Origins of Trench Warfare | The Nature of Trench Warfare | Routine Life in the Trenches | Patrols and Raids from the Trenches | Assaulting the Trench Line | Defeating the Trench Line |