Trenches Gallery

Trenches were a common feature of warfare during World War I

Attack of the Ulster Division, 1 July 1916, (c1930). Creator: James Prinsep Beadle
Attack of the Ulster Division, 1 July 1916, (c1930). Scene from the Battle of the Somme in northern France during the First World War

Battle of the Somme 1918
Painting of British soldiers in the trenches at the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front in France during World War I in 1918

Christmas Truce / Photo
British and German soldiers fraternising on Christmas Day abandoning their respective trenches to exchange gifts, play sports and forget the war for one day

Christmas Truce / Soldiers
British and German troops leave their trenches on New Years Day to fraternise in peace in No Mans Land

Rifle Brigade in position, Western Front - WWI
The First Battalion of the British Rifle Brigade in position close to the German trenches under shell fire - WWI. Date: circa 1915

Australian troops in trench, near Armentieres, France, WW1
Troops of the 2nd Australian Division in a front line trench at Croix du Bac, near Armentieres, northern France, during the First World War. Date: 18 May 1916

Aerial combat over trenches during First World War
An aerial combat over the trenches during the First World War

British Mark IV tank with Tadpole Tail, WW1
British Mark IV tank with Tadpole Tail, introduced in 1917 and used during the latter part of the First World War. The Tadpole Tail was an elongation of the rear horns to increase trench-crossing

Coldstreamers in a Great charge by the guards on the Somme
On 15th September 1916, Guards including the Coldstreamers, Grenadiers and the Irish, captured Martinpuich, formerly in German hands and Courcelette and over 2300 prisoners. 15th September 1916

German trench attack WWI
German soldiers attacking out of a trench during World War I

British First Airborne dug in at Arnhem; Second World War, 1
Photograph showing a unit of the British First Airborne Division, in shallow trenches along a road side near Arnhem, September 1944

Irish soldier in a trench, Mesopotamia, WW1
A soldier with the Royal Irish Fusiliers (Faugh-a-Ballagh) in a trench in Mesopotamia (now Iraq), teases a Turkish sniper by raising a pith helmet on his rifle during the First World War

In the Famous Plug Street Wood by Matania
A relief party marching back to the trenches through Ploegstreet Wood (known as Plug Street), south of Ypres. The scarred trees lining the soldiers route bear the scars of shelling

British Soldiers having a cup of tea; First World War, 1916
Photograph showing a group of British soldiers, having a rest and a cup of tea after leaving the front line of trenches; Western Front somewhere in France, 1916

Waiting in Trenches Wwi
British troops, including a corporal, wait in trenches near Arras for the barrage to lift before moving on

Ww1 / Trench / Young Soldier
A young British soldier emerges from shelter in a trench

Cheese dish - Bairnsfatherware
Cheese dish with lid made by the Girls of Staffordshire during the Winter of 1917/1918 when the Boys were in the trenches fighting for liberty and civilization

Well, if you knows of a better ole, go to it
Ttwo soldiers stuck in a trench, during a battle in World War One. This famous illustration for The Bystander was by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather (1888-1959)

Ww1 / Trench / Night Attack
British troops leave their trench positions to make a night attack at Mory, France

Periscopes in Trenches
With shells bursting overhead and trench mortar ready, Seaforth Highlanders watch through a periscope for the Germans

Sikh Troops Digging
Sikh infantry in the British army digging communication trenches and laying cables to connect up advanced positions

WW1 - Trench map from a soldiers war diary showing the Somme Battlefield with information gleaned from captured German Prisoners

Robin in the trenches, WW1 by Philip Dadd
Sat on the End of my Bayonet like a bloomin Christmas Card, he did. Illustration depicting an incident described by a private soldier, writing home during the winter campaign of 1914-15

In the support trench by Bruce Bairnsfather, WW1 cartoon
" Old Bill has practically decided to try to get Private Shinio (the ex-comedy-juggler-and-hand-balancer) transferred to another platoon." The stoicism of Captain Bruce Bairnsfathers

Periscope and All by Gerald C. Hudson, WW1
Humorous cartoon depicting the grimness of life in the trenches. THOMAS (encountering a pal on the surface of a flooded crater): Lor! Enry, ow you did make me jump. I thought you was a submarine

British soldier bears to the firing line WWI
Double page showing a British private soldier, commonly know as a Tommy, showing a diagram of tools and equipment that he would have carried when marching to the trenches in World War One. 1915

Christmas at the Front - Unpacking the Parcels from Home
A group of British soldiers share the contents of a hamper which has been delivered to them at the Front. A Christmas pudding is held aloft and the scene is of general jollity

Dog and owner reunited in the trenches, France
Private Brown of the North Staffordshires, in the trenches in France, is found by his pet terrier dog which has made its way, alone, from his home in Hammersmith, West London

First day of the Somme - the roll call after attack
British soldiers in a trench on the first day of the Somme (1 July 1916), lining up for a roll call after the attack. 1916

British terriorials charging at Loos
Illustration by S. Begg showing British troops wearing anti-gas masks charging German trenches of the fortified second line at the Battle of Loos with bombs and bayonets

Xmas Pudding in Trenches
Innovative British soldiers use a German steel helmet as a saucepan for their Christmas pudding

Soldiers playing cards in the trenches, First World War, c1916, (c1920). Creator: Unknown
Soldiers playing cards in the trenches, First World War, c1916, (c1920). An Interval of Peace: British bomb-gun section enjoying a hand at cards while the sentries keep watch through the periscopes

WW1 - Western Front - Highlanders at Longueval, France, 1916
WW1 - Western Front - Battle of Bazentin Ridge (14th-17th July 1916) - A piper of the 7th Seaforth Highlanders leading the troops of the 26th Brigade from the trenches to attack at Longueval on 14th

Where Did That One Go To? by Bruce Bairnsfather
The very first cartoon published in The Bystander by Bruce Bairnsfather (later Captain) of the 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Gifts from Germans following the Christmas truce, WW1
British non-commissioned officers pose with gifts and souvenirs given to them by Germans after the informal truce which took place at certain points along the Western Front in December 1914

The Conscientious Exhilarator, by Bairnsfather
The Conscientious Exhilarator " Every encouragement should be given for singing and whistling" - (Extract from a Military Manual ) That painstaking fellow, Lieut

German machine gun WWI
Machine gun post in a front line trench during the withdrawal to the Siegfried line on the Western Front during World War I Date: February 1917

Gallipoli trench WWI
Royal Navy Division Sector Lieutenant C.H. Parkes RNVR with Periscope rifle (sniperscope) at Gallipoli during World War I

WW1 - Catholic Mass in the Trenches at Bienvillers-aux-Bois
WW1 - French troops partake in Catholic Mass in the Trenches at Bienvillers-aux-Bois - August 1915. It was estimated that over 20, 000 priests served in the French army in some capacity

Reading The Tatler in Gallipoli, WW1
A Topping Tonic after taking Turkish Trenches - some officers of the gallant Lancashire Fusiliers enjoying a short respite with an old and valued friend

Machine gun in German trenches WWI
The weapon which is said to have changed German Infantry tactics: A machine-gun in the German trenches

Cartoon on the Trenches
Well, if you knows of a better ole go to it! A comic glance at the desperate reality of the trenches

Examing German Prisoner
Two British soldiers examine a German prisoner in a captured German trench hoping to gain information on further attacks

WW1 / 1915 / TRENCH MUSIC
Playing instruments in the German trenches

Ww1 / 18Jun15 / Notre Trench
Notre-Dame de Lorette - a soldier walks through the flooded trenches

Black Watch Trench Wwi
Members of the Black Watch Regiment in the trenches

Knowledge Wins, 1914-18 (colour litho)
1768769 Knowledge Wins, 1914-18 (colour litho) by Smith, Dan (1865-1934); 72x49 cm; Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois, USA; eNewberry Library; American, out of copyright

1st Battalion Rifle Brigade
" Pleased to meet you!" Photograph showing some men of the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade " standing-to" in their trench in anticipation of an attack by Germans January 1915

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Trenches were a common feature of warfare during World War I. They were long, narrow ditches dug into the ground for soldiers to take cover from enemy fire and artillery bombardment. Trenches could be up to several miles long and often had multiple layers of defense. They provided protection from bullets and shrapnel, but also posed their own dangers such as disease, lice infestations, rats, and poison gas attacks. Despite these risks, trenches allowed soldiers to stay relatively safe while they waited for orders or reinforcements. The use was a major factor in the stalemate that characterized much of WWI combat on the Western Front.