Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Trench System at the Western Front (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
The Development of Trench Warfare - Summary
British soldiers fought in trenches along the Western Front of the First World War (1914 and 1918). Trenches were both a blessing and a curse for the soldiers who inhabited them. Dug as a way of protecting soldiers from artillery and machine gun fire, the trenches became a hostile environment. Developments in medicine during the First World War are often linked to trenches and their key features. Alterations in ambulances and x-rays, allowed them to travel between the different sections of the trench system. |
The Organisation of Trenches
Why were trenches built?
By the end of 1914, Germany occupied much of Belgium and Northern France
Warfare had become more static, with a desire to defend the land that had been gained:
Artillery and machine guns forced soldiers to seek cover
Trenches were an easy and efficient way of sheltering troops
By 1915, there was a complex system of trenches:
Trenches were dug to a depth of 2.5 metres
They were easy to defend but difficult to attack:
Crossing no-man's land exposed troops to barbed wire and machine-gun fire
The trench system
The trench system covered around 475 miles from the English Channel to the Swiss Alps
Most trench systems followed a similar structure:
Front line trenches were the closest to no-man's-land. Attacks started from here
Soldiers were able to retreat to support trenches which were 80 metres behind the front line
The launch of counter-attacks came from reserve trenches which were at least 100 metres behind the support trenches
The transport of soldiers, equipment and supplies was through the communication trenches
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the trench system on the Western Front
2 marks
Answers:
The reserve trench was a common part of the trench system (1). The reserve trench was used to launch counter-attacks if the frontline trench was captured (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
Try to write your answer in two sentences. Identify the feature in one sentence and provide some additional detail in the other. Remember, the extra information must be relevant to the feature you just stated.
Interior of a trench
Trenches began as a collection of foxholes dug by soldiers
As the war progressed, trenches developed in several ways. These helped to protect soldiers and also made it easier for them to defend themselves from enemy attacks
The experience of soldiers in the trenches varied depending on where along the front they were
In the Alps, trenches were dug deep into the mountains to give soldiers protection from the cold weather conditions
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