10 ways to try to stay clean and healthy in trenches

Harsh conditions forced soldiers to try to make do as they could

Soldiers’ health during the First World War was seriously compromised by the conditions on every front of the battle. More than 6 million British and British Empire soldiers received medical attention for illness, and the number could have been far higher if sanitation and medical care had not improved.

Particular difficulties were presented by the Western Front’s gridlocked network of trenches. Men in their thousands rotated through these cramped quarters, living in confined spaces and subject to the mercy of the weather; therefore, diseases were prevalent.

Several troops died as a result of circumstances unique to their surroundings. Trench fever has symptoms resembling the flu, and “trench foot” was brought on by always having wet feet. Men struggled against diseases like malaria and sandfly fever on different fronts.

Both the army authorities and the soldiers themselves understood how crucial it was to prevent sickness and dirt. Maintaining cleanliness may boost morale, and soldiers must stay healthy to continue fighting.

According to iwm.org.uk, here are 10 ways a soldier in the trenches during the First World War could stay healthy despite their harsh conditions.

1. Clean water

Petrol cans were used to bring drinking water to front-line trenches. Chemicals were then used to clean them. Most water was consumed as tea, which was frequently transported chilled in troops’ water bottles to help mask the flavor. In desperate situations, soldiers may boil the unclean water they find in shell holes because diarrhea and dysentery outbreaks could result from drinking contaminated water.

2. Medicine

Throughout the winter, sore throats, common colds, the flu, and vomiting were widespread among soldiers in the trenches. They experienced tiredness, constipation or diarrhea, skin rashes, boils, and sores no matter the season. Medicines were frequently sent or received in packages by soldiers from their homes. They were in gelatin lamels, and they were used to treat common illnesses by dissolving them on the tongue or in liquid.

3. Chatting

For soldiers surviving in the claustrophobic and packed circumstances of the trenches, lice was a regular issue. These little insects contaminated clothing irritated skin, and caused typhus and “trench fever.” Men in the trenches exterminated lice by “chatting,” which involves crushing them between fingernails, or by burning them with candles and cigarette ends.

4. Pet

Rats and other vermin were attracted to the crowded, unhygienic conditions in the trenches by the nearby dead bodies and food waste. To hunt them, some soldiers trained cats and dogs.

5. Foot inspections

Trench foot, a condition where the foot expands and starts to degenerate, was a severe issue in the trenches of the Western Front. It is typically brought on by being exposed to cold, moist surroundings and places where blood flow is restricted; therefore, the feet of soldiers were frequently examined, and they were encouraged to periodically wash and change into dry socks.

6. Wash clothes

Soldiers could employ specialized laundries to wash and change their garments after leaving the front-line trenches. Lice could be removed from their clothing by washing it, but this was sometimes only a temporary solution because the lice would recur once they returned to the close quarters of the front line.

7. Have a bath

Soldiers who weren’t on the front lines of battle were given regular permission to take a warm bath and change their clothes. Baths were frequently in temporary settings, like breweries, and were typically big, communal areas.

8. Personal appearance

Regular shaving and upholding minimal levels of hygiene were essential for preserving morale. Officers were expected to maintain standards of appearance among their soldiers, although many did so when the going became tough.

9. Latrines

Toilets, also referred to as latrines, were placed as far away from fighting and habitations as feasible. The best latrines were buckets that were cleaned and emptied regularly by designated orderlies. Some latrines used cut-and-cover or very simple pit techniques. Although there were strong prohibitions against “indiscriminate urinating”, troops occasionally resorted to urinating in a can and throwing it into the ditch.

10. Collect litter

Trenches became full of trash. Sandbags were frequently strung on the trench wall to collect trash. The job of gathering and sorting non-recyclable trash fell to “sanitary men.” Used cartridge cases made up a sizable portion of the waste produced. They were gathered and separated for recycling in huge dumps behind the lines.

Photo by © IWM Q 29235