Entrenching Collection

British soldier in uniform, 1915, WW1
A British private soldier, commonly known as a Tommy with annotations showing the tools and equipment that made up his kit when marching to the trenches during the First World War

Troops dug in holding Brigade Headquarters, Arnhem, 18 September 1944 (b / w photo)
5922349 Troops dug in holding Brigade Headquarters, Arnhem, 18 September 1944 (b/w photo) by Smith, D.M. Sgt. (fl.1939-45); National Army Museum

Plan of the entrenchments at Cawnpore, June 1857 (paper)
5922913 Plan of the entrenchments at Cawnpore, June 1857 (paper) by Unknown Artist, (19th century); National Army Museum, London; (add.info)

The Siege Operations at Chatham (engraving)
1048870 The Siege Operations at Chatham (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Siege Operations at Chatham)

The Zulu War, entrenching a Laager (engraving)
1054409 The Zulu War, entrenching a Laager (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Zulu War, entrenching a Laager)

Russian Rifle Pit. Now part of the British advanced Trenches
5929015 A Russian Rifle Pit. Now part of the British advanced Trenches, on the left of the right attack, or Gordons BatteryA (colour litho) by Simpson

British Army issue entrenching tool (spade). Firearms & Equipment

Exploding Mine in the New Ravelin Royal Engineers Entrenching in the Crater of the Minz

Pioneer Regiment entrenching in France - WWI
A Pioneer Regiment - British Army combatant corps used for light engineering tasks - dig trenches on the Western Front - WWI. Date: circa 1915

Ww1 / Wurttemberg Trench
Wurttemberg troops observing. An officer uses a pair of binoculars in order to observe enemy movements

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Throughout history, entrenching has been a crucial aspect of warfare, from the trenches of the Western Front during World War 1, where British soldiers dug in at Arnhem on 18 September 1944, to the sieges of Cawnpore in 1857 and Chatham. The art can be seen in the plan of the entrenchments at Cawnpore, the siege operations at Chatham, and the engravings of the Zulu War and the Russian Rifle Pit. The British Army issued entrenching tools, such as spades, to aid in this essential task. The explosive power of mines, as demonstrated in the New Ravelin, added a new dimension to entrenching during the Minz Crater battle. The Pioneer Regiment's efforts in France during World War 1, and the Battle of the Aisne in 1918, are just a few the dedication and determination of soldiers in entrenching to protect their comrades and secure their positions.