What did soldiers do when they were not fighting in World War 1?

Answer 1

During war time most people would have been farming, mining, producing ammunition or in transportation. Before the war many more people were "in service", working as butlers, maids, cooks, etc. The war destroyed the "upstairs downstairs" lifestyle of the wealthy classes.

Answer 2

They were waiting till the new enemy arrived. Also they cleaned their weapon's, talked together, smoked a cigarette and just waiting till the enemy arrived and the war continued.

Greg Clark, a Canadian journalist, served in the trenches of WW I. Read his stories for a good view of what life and death at the front was like.

From these stories "non-combat" activities included:

1. Sitting in the freezing mud forever watching rats eat your dead buddies
2. Being cold and wet in poorly designed uniforms
3. Watching for clouds of heavier than air mustard gas floating over the landscape and flowing into the trenches
4. Waiting fo artillery bombardment at any time
5. Living in fear of snipers picking you off if any part of your head got over the trench edge
6. Checking for trench foot and gangrene from any cut or blister. Trench foot was a disease caused by the cold and damp conditions and the use of puttees (leg wraps) which cut off circulation in the legs
7. Suffering with kilts that froze to your legs
8. Watching body bits drifting over the landscape with every fresh barrage
9. Being buried alive as "rooms" dug into the rench walls collapsed
10. Knowing sappers were burrowing under your feet planting explosives
11. Improvising weapons (clubs, shovels) for hand to hand raids on enemy trenches

Answer 3

soldiers usually write letters to their loved ones and families. they also try to relax before going out to fight again.

Answer 4

• . We normally go to the rear in our free time to see if there are any available food rations.