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Two further examples of the effects of poor weather on our troops were:
1) the amputation of feet due to the effects of prolonged periods of
time saturated in winter water. The condition mentioned earlier was
called trench foot; and
2) the inability of soldiers to make progress across no man’s land at
Passchendaele through mud and slush after heavy rains made
soldiers carrying heavy equipment easy targets. In some cases
drowning after falling into shell holes.
All of the above factors resulted in very heavy casualty rates on the
Western Front.
Further consequences for soldiers of the conditions on the Western Front
can be gleaned from what they wrote home to their families. For example,
the following extract from George Cuthbert Lane’s letter home in 1917
raises several issues.
“In Hospital on the coast of France Sept, 22nd 1917.
You will notice by the address that I am once more safe in
hospital……………...I got another crack on the 20th Sept. in the fighting
around Ypres. I am feeling “bosker” now with a chance of going to
Blighty in sight.
A most particular thing about the wound I got this time. A piece of shell
took a bit more of my left hand away pretty well in the same place as last
time, so you can guess the old hand is not looking too good
now…………….I went through the advance up past our objectives all
right and and we were digging ourselves, under very heavy fire from
Fritz. I was just in the act of banging a sandbag up on the parapet ……
when one of Fritz’s shells burst over heads, my piece just missing my head
by a very small margin. I was frightened I might get a bit deaf as my ears
were pretty bad when I got to the dressing station, but they are much
better now.”
George’s letter home illustrates not only George’s responses to his
situation but also some of the general features of the war experienced by
all soldiers:
1. This was George’s third injury that required hospitalisation, yet
George expected, like other soldiers, that despite these injuries,
they would not be sent home if their injury incapacitated
themselves but would be sent back to the front.
2. The war was one that involved luck to survive. This can be
attributed to the random destructive power of artillery shells and
shrapnel.
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