BATTLE OF THE SKIES

As we moved from where we had been fighting to the next battle we had to always be aware of what was going on above us because bomber planes were flying above us. The war in the air was just as key as the war on the ground. The battle of the skies was key because they dropped bombs on the opposition camps and if they hit successfully could kill hundreds if people.

NO-MANS LAND

Every day mens lives were put on the line by the bigger, richer members of the army. They would send 100s of soldiers across NO-MANS LAND on aimless causes. The men would just run into the faces of the german machine guns the stupidity cost thousands of lives even if our men got to the frontline of the Germans they would have to get through the barbed wire on the other side which made them sitting ducks. Also on No- Mans Land the men would run into German troops who with Bayonets in hand club our lads to death.

TANKS

When we first heard that we had tanks on the battlefields we thought that these machines built to destroy armies might win us the war. The big hard armoured shells and caterpillar tracks were a daunting task for any army but the use of the tanks were quite poor because the tanks were too slow and to beat them he opposition army could place grenades in the tube and the machines were done, the only problem for the Germans was how to get to the tube. They also took ten men to crew them.

POOR CONDITIONS

BY 1915 the worst problem was the rats. They were everywhere.One bloke in our unit woke up with one in his face. They carried disease and were fat. They ussed to eat the flesh of the dead. We would shoot them on sight. Next top to the rats were the chats. The only thing that would get rid of them was a hot fire in the rest camp. The candle wax would keep them in the seems of your dirty uniform. The food we were given was BULLY BEEF which is basically cheap meat in tins given to us for lunch and dinner."Rats are crawling all over the duckboards, the water is coming over the duckboards, the beds are hard and soaking wet and it smells like mould, the shells keep thundering overhead and the worst, the puddles are full of what seems to be human limbs!" this is a quote from a fellow soldier.

TRENCH FOOT

The trenches have took some heavy rain,therefore the floor is wet and muddy the walls are slippy and even the dugouts that we sleep in are poor. We are putting wood along the floor to avoid trench foot. TRENCH FOOT is an infection of the feet caused by cold, wet and insanitary conditions. In the trenches men stood for hours on end in waterlogged trenches without being able to remove wet socks or boots. The feet would gradually go numb and the skin would turn red or blue. If untreated, trench foot could turn gangrenous and result in amputation. Trench foot was a particular problem in the early stages of the war. For example, during the winter of 1914-15 over 20,000 men in the British Army were treated for trench foot.

THIS IS HELL ON EARTH

It has been hell on earth for about two weeks now. But it seems much, much longer. On the third day of the war when the young lad was shot i was petrified and thought about getting shot in the leg or arm just to have an escape route out of this hell. I know if I try and run away I will most probably be shot down and if not the higher members of our army would have me shot for setting a bad example. Eleven days on I have seen some horrific deaths which you would not wish upon anybody, friend or foe.

THE BIRTH OF SAMUEL DANIEL DAVIES

I was sittin in the dirt and wet mud when they gave me this letter. It said

dear JOHN,

I am writing to inform you of the birth of your son SAMUEL DANIEL DAVIES he was born two nights ago and is the spitting image of you. I hope you get the war over and done with and come back to us in one piece but for now I love You.


Love from

KATIE

THE WAR BEGINS

It was ferocious i was standing next to this one young lad who I'll never forget he was petrified and was praying I asked him why he was so afraid he said his mother and father were both ill at home and he wanted to go and look after them. He then out of shock climbed the trenchwall and tussled with the barbed wire when he came falling back down I tried to help him up he was'nt moving so I lay him on his back to find three bullet holes in his head it scarred me for life. This is the most horrific death you could imagine and its the third day of fighting.

THE EVE OF WAR

I was in France after the journey from hell. The sea was choppy and the boat itself werent very nice for the majority of the journey i was sitting on theis chair praying that I would not fall overboard and get mangled by the propellers below the ship. When we got away from the ship me and some of the lads went to the pubs we got so drunk I forget we were fighting a war within two weeks and i'll tell u now it was the best day of the trip to France. The day after the booze up we were doing intense fitness training in the morning and in the afternoon a huge run about 15 miles to be precise. Before I knew it I was in the long line of British soldiers marching towards the trenches. When we got there British troops were cutting barbed wire up and placing machine guns down for the fight. The next day I would be contesting in aferocious war and I was ready for it.

the JOURNEY

The Journey to France was horrible squashed in to a train with a load of young blokes that I would become good friends with in the months to come. In the train it was a happy yet extremely emotional atmosphere because all of us were excited but sad in case we never got to see our families and friends again. When we got to the port we all got out of the train to find hundreds of people there to see the troops leave the country for one of the biggest wars in HIstory if not the biggest. I saw all the ammunition being put on the ships and suddenly got butterflies in my stomach I was petrified about the ferry trip but knowing that when the war begins the Germans will have the same weapons as us was something else the war was about to begin and I was not in the right mindset for what was about to begin

TRAINING

I was sent to Dartmore where we were put through our paces. If the War was as hard as the Training then I was almost a dead man walking. I knew i was only at Dartmore until I was drafted to the War which is the Next step up, whilst I was training however i would have to just put all my effort in to all exercises and then when i was drafted the real stuff begins.

Why did I sign up

I am Corporal John Davies of the Warwickshire regiment. I signed up to the Pals Battalion in the summer of 1914 wiv my mates i just signed up for the War because everybody was talkin about it and also all my mates were signing up.I always did dream about being in the army but i never thought i would actually sign up. When i got back home all these thoughts flew through my head, I would have to leave my family and my engaged sister who had scheduled to get married in a couple of months time. I would also have to leave my pregnant wife Katie, it was dawning on me that i wold not be here for my childs birth. well, I just had to accept that and focus on the war.