What Happens at Night in the Trenches

Sunday 7th February 1915: Units only spend so long in the front line. Every so often, more often in winter, they are relieved by another unit. Private L. A. Wise of the 2nd Bedfords, whose mother lives at 22 King’s Place, Bedford, describes what happens: "We relieve another Regiment as soon as it gets dark, and then begins the sport. The other night my chum and I carried a plank with us from our billet and before we had time to get down in the trench the plank floated away from us and after all that trouble we went into our knees in mud. We had to laugh, although we had to swear a bit”.

“When it is our turn in the dug-out which runs our section during the day, because we are on duty at night, we get some wood and coke, which we have issued to us, and make a good fire to thaw us a bit and dry our boots and legs, because we have to stand all night, and when it rains we cannot get under cover. My trousers have got two holes in them where my knees knock together because we get so cold. We are well provided with gloves and scarves, which we have sent out to us”.

“We get plenty to eat considering the times, so we have not much to crib at, but every soldier cribs because we think it is a part of our rations. Tell the boys at home that there is plenty of room in the trenches where I am”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 5th February 1915