A Brief OVERVIEW Sassoon enlisted in 1914 joining

A Brief OVERVIEW

Sassoon enlisted in 1914 joining the Royal Welch Fusiliers. His war service was a mixture of brave (almost suicidal) deeds and a growing sense of disillusionment with the conflict. During a spell of convalescence in which he was treated for 'shell-shock' at Craiglockhart Hospital where he met and befriended Wilfred Owen who was also being treated there. Sassoon's poetry presents a savage and bitter attack on the nature of the War.

SUICIDE IN THE TRENCHES I knew a simple soldier boy Who grinned at life in empty joy, Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, And whistled early with the lark. In winter trenches, cowed and glum, With crumps and lice and lack of rum, He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again. You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray you'll never know The hell where youth and laughter go.

Life in the Trenches. . . was difficult, filthy and morose.

Trench System

The Front Line

Water Logged Trenches

Gas Masks Used to prevent a horrid, painful slow death resulting from mustard gas attacks.

Contaminated Water caused Dysentery

Preparing a fire for food Food had to be prepared on small fires.

Most governments made sure that the men in the trenches did not go hungry, even though there were shortages of food at home. The troops received plenty of tinned food, bread, jam and biscuits and the British also produced food called Maconochie, 'a meal in a tin', which was quite popular. Nevertheless, the rations were dull and sometimes inedible.

The British government wanted to encourage men to enlist for war. They said the war would be safe, hardly any fighting, a good lark and over by Christmas. A picture of soldiers going ‘Over the Top’ They used advertising posters to encourage this idea!

The reality of ‘going over the top’ was very different!

Soldiers were expected to carry all of their equipment with them at all times. They were supposed to keep it clean and in good condition – they were British after all.

How the uniform and equipment changed after just three weeks in the trenches…

Posters always showed men ready and willing to fight. They never showed the boredom of the trenches or actual fighting taking place. Why do you think the government showed no fighting?

No smiling and relaxed faces… No clean uniforms… Their equipment is scattered everywhere… Boredom and sleep are obvious…

The soldiers had very little decent food, and what food they had was often attacked by rats. These rats were the size of small rabbits and badgers because they had fed on the decomposing bodies of dead soldiers.