Trenches, 11(?) April 1915
[Sunday]
Dear family,
We have been here at the frontline now already since Monday, so
almost 8 days, and I have to say I quite like it here. It isn’t as stressful as
I’d think it would be. But then we’ve only had quiet days.
You just cannot imagine what it
looks like here. Our Stellung is one
big network of trenches.
When you come here for the first
time you think you have arrived in a maze, and you just cannot imagine someone finding
his way here.
But after one day you begin to find
your bearings, also because there are signs on difficult intersections. The
trenches are about 2 – 2,5 mtrs deep.
Looking at them from the enemy
standpoint there first are the real trenches [the Schützengraben] . followed by, in some cases 2 in other cases 3,
lines of reserve-trenches [ Reservegraben]
.
Connection with the outside world is
maintained through communication-trenches
[Laufgraben].
The whole thing looks a bit like
this:
That is just a little sketch I made
for you. In reality it is far more complicated. But now you have an idea of how
it looks.
The trenches are all zig-zagging, so
you can take shelter round the next bend in case of shelling. Once inside the
trenches there really is no danger. You are completely safe from rifle fire,
and grenades can only cause damage if they drop into the trenches from straight
above. That only rarely happens because the top of the trenches is only 50 cms
wide at the most.
At night, or more often when you
have nothing to do, you crawl into your dugout, Dugouts are little caves dug
adjacent to the trenches, as deep as possible, so they are bomb-proof. And they
are furnished as home-like as possible.
The first two nights I slept in a
terrible cave, but now I live in a really nice one. I can stand up in it, we
have a table and chairs, matrasses to sleep on and a stove on which we can cook
all sorts of stuff.
I still haven’t received any mail
from you, hope however to receive something today or tomorrow.
We’re supposed to get the mail that
was held back at Oignies on Monday, when we go in rest at Douvrin.
Please send me candles (but not
those “thin Berta” nightcandles), lots to smoke, and preserves, which I can
then warm up here. Didn’t Uncle Otto have those which he took with him on his
walks?
More next time your Fritz
I’m still waiting for the
fieldcooker.
War diary of 1st KRR for 10 and 11 April 1915:
War diary of 2nd South Staffordshires for 10 and 11 April 1915 :
The original letter:
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