24hr Trench

The trench was the frontline Tommy's home. He lived, ate, slept, and sometimes died in this narrow passage amongst the slime of mud and blood on the Western Front. His washbasin was a mess-tin, his cooker – a small fire built into the wall, his entertainment – his friends, his fear – the man living in the trench on the other side of No Man's Land. Over 6 million men died whilst serving in the trenches – how did they live in them? For the first time, World War I historian Andrew Robertshaw and a group of soldiers, archaeologists and historians use official manuals and diaries to build a real trench system and live in it for 24 hours, recreating the frontline Tommy's daily existence, answering the questions: How do you build a trench quietly? How clean can you really get in a trench? How easy is it to sleep? How do you keep yourself entertained? How to do you stay alive and kill the enemy? And many more... Hour-by-hour, the Tommy's day unfolds through stunning colour photographs in this ground-breaking experiment in Great War history.

Ten million military personnel died during the Great War. Many millions of them experienced horrendous enemy attacks on entrenched positions that stretched across France and Belgium, as well as further afield. This groundbreaking book relives twenty-four hours of an actual Platoon under attack, using a battalion war diary to follow the assault hour by hour. A team of historians and archaeologists reconstructs the fighting, revealing how the British Tommy defended his hard-won positionsagainst heavy fire and enemy attack. Robertshaw presents the Great War in colour, as it was experienced, using stunning images to bring the the full force of these frightening assaults to life. This truly is First World War history at its finest.

Aimed at both the beginner and more experienced modeller, this is a guide to the design, planning and creation of realistic models in 1:285 and 1:32 scales. Covering British, French and German trenches of the Western Front, this book includes the different construction, materials and repair methods used during the conflict. Each chapter includes the historical background, together with step-by-step instructions. With over 300 photographs, this book includes: why trenches were a necessity to save lives and how they adapted through the war; how to build models of British 'ideal' and typical trenches, a wet soil trench, improved shell hole, front line dugout, tunnels and mines, and a hospital tent. Construction advice is given for typical French and German trenches, together with a reversed German trench (modelled under British control) and a German concrete bunker. The creation of artillery models, realistic groundwork and plants is covered along with perfecting fine details such as tools, clothes, mess tins, shaving equipment, cigarette packets and letters from home. Finally, there is a guide to visiting the trenches today, a trench glossary and useful measurements at 1:32 scale.

How much can you really find out about the Trenches of the First World War in five minutes? This handy little history book will surpass all your expectations and leave you well versed on all you wish to know, and maybe even a little bit more...Was it always muddy?Was every minute spent under fire?How did they get around?What food was eaten?And how did they build them anyway?Jam-packed with facts, stats and first-hand accounts of the action, all woven together in an accessible way by an expert in the field, this 5 Minute History is a valuable addition to anyone’s bookshelf, ready to be delved into at a moment’s notice.

During the Great War millions of men lived in the trenches of the Western Frotn. It is difficult for us to understand how they coped in such a confined space with the constant terror of enemy attack. Now, Andy Robertshaw and a group of soldiers, archaeologists and historians use official manuals and diaries to recreate their daily lives.

Cady Hoyte, like many other young lads of his generation, proudly joined the army in 1915 to fight for his King and Country. From the Warwickshire town of Nuneaton, he joined the Warwickshire Yeomanry as a gunner in the Machine Gun Corps and quickly found that army life made no concessions for an eager young 19 year old. Never having ridden a horse before, he develops a relationship with the horses, which made it all the harder when he had to say farewell and leave them behind to sail aboard the stricken ship, the Leasowe Castle, to fight in the trenches of France. Written with humour, Cady's diary gives a detailed account of the daily struggles and constant dangers of army life in the First World War without ever losing sight of his respect for human life.