SHRAPNEL, SHELL-SHOCK AND SHATTERED DEFENCES
BBC History Revealed|July 2023
Trench warfare forced military strategists to develop fresh tactics and terrifying new weaponry - in a bid to gain the upper hand
SHRAPNEL, SHELL-SHOCK AND SHATTERED DEFENCES

When Private Alex Thompson arrived at Ypres in May 1915, he found himself in the middle of a battle for survival. He was thrust straight into a counterattack against the Germans: the two sides were fighting to secure control of a small hill, known only as "Hill 60".

At 10pm, he left the relative safety of his trench and charged over the top, rifle in hand. Thompson recalled: "We advanced maybe five or 10 yards, [but] some of them never got that length - they were killed going over the trench. That was your training, you see, to just keep going, making for the German trenches."

It was a bloodbath. Thompson recounted:  "It was like pie meat for the Germans, near everyone was getting [trapped] in the barbed wire... They were just cutting us like cutting hay. The fire was rapid, continuous, machinegun fire and shrapnel bursting. You wonder who's going to be shot next and I was shot next."

Although Thompson managed to crawl back into the trench and reach safety, many of his companions weren't so lucky. For the next two years, the Allies failed to gain control of that one, small hill.

Millions of men perished in trench warfare, but it was one of the defining strategies of World War I - particularly on the Western Front. However, this strategy was nothing new: armies had been holing down in the earth for centuries, to avoid having soldiers exposed.

But World War I saw the strategy explode. There were several reasons for this: before the war had broken out, military technology had vastly improved: the machine gun had been unveiled in 1884, and artillery had been consistently upgraded since the late 19th century. As well as facing deadly weapons, in 1914 more soldiers were on the battlefield than ever before - meaning more men needed protection.

This story is from the July 2023 edition of BBC History Revealed.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 2023 edition of BBC History Revealed.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BBC HISTORY REVEALEDView All
'Dickens's evocation of the fears, excitement and confusion of childhood is peerless'
BBC History Revealed

'Dickens's evocation of the fears, excitement and confusion of childhood is peerless'

DR LEE JACKSON ON WHY CHARLES DICKENS REMAINS RELEVANT TODAY

time-read
2 mins  |
Christmas 2023
THE AUTHOR GOES ABROAD
BBC History Revealed

THE AUTHOR GOES ABROAD

Dickens expanded his horizons and boosted his fan-base by venturing overseas - but global fame came with a cost

time-read
4 mins  |
Christmas 2023
REVIVING THE FESTIVE SPIRIT
BBC History Revealed

REVIVING THE FESTIVE SPIRIT

A Christmas Carol wasn't just a bestseller - it changed the way that Britons chose to mark the festive season

time-read
3 mins  |
Christmas 2023
GIVING THE POOR A VOICE
BBC History Revealed

GIVING THE POOR A VOICE

From Hard Times to Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens used his pen to help illuminate the lives of the less fortunate

time-read
3 mins  |
Christmas 2023
A JOURNEY THROUGH DICKENS'S LONDON
BBC History Revealed

A JOURNEY THROUGH DICKENS'S LONDON

The works of Charles Dickens are synonymous with visions of Victorian London. We talk to Dr Lee Jackson about the author's love of the capital, and the locations that most inspired him

time-read
10+ mins  |
Christmas 2023
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
BBC History Revealed

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

Dr Lee Jackson chronicles Charles Dickens's journey from down-at-luck teenager to titan of Victorian literature

time-read
6 mins  |
Christmas 2023
GIFTS, TREES & FEASTING
BBC History Revealed

GIFTS, TREES & FEASTING

We take a journey through the photo archives to reveal how Christmas and its many traditions have been celebrated over the years - and around the world

time-read
3 mins  |
Christmas 2023
WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY
BBC History Revealed

WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY

We explore the story behind an allegorical painting that celebrates the triumph of love over hate, peace over war

time-read
3 mins  |
Christmas 2023
HELLISH NELL
BBC History Revealed

HELLISH NELL

Malcolm Gaskill delves into the life of Helen Duncan - the fraudulent Scottish medium whose ectoplasm-filled seances saw her ending up on the wrong side of the law

time-read
6 mins  |
Christmas 2023
7 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE
BBC History Revealed

7 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE

Presidential historian Dr Lindsay M Chervinsky reveals some of the most surprising facts about the world-famous US residence

time-read
5 mins  |
Christmas 2023