SOLDIERS IN WORLD WAR ONE TO DISCOVER WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE FOR A
SOLDIER IN WORLD WAR ONE
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WHAT WAS A SOLDIER LIKE? Most soldiers were normal men and boys
brought from the streets of Britain to fight for their country.
They had little to no experience of fighting and were recruited to
join the war. They would have had only weeks of training and would
be expected to learn on the job.
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A helmet to protect their heads. A bayonet for hand to hand
combat. A gun to shoot at the enemy. British army uniform Boots to
keep their feet dry and warm. Cloth wrapped around their legs to
keep them warm.
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WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE FOR A SOLDIER? Life was brutal as a soldier
in the war. They lived in horrible conditions in wet, smelly,
terrible trenches and were there for months, or even years. They
however had quite a lot of free time. Fighting was irregular and
soldiers were not on patrol very often. They would have to find
ways to entertain themselves.
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FREE TIME? During their free time, the soldiers had many
choices of activities, including: Cards Chess Writing diaries
Writing letters Cooking Playing football an iconic story is
Christmas day of 1914 when both sides stopped fighting and played
football on no mans land.
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YOUR TASK! I want you to write a letter home as if you were an
18 year old soldier who had left home for the first time. You are
telling your mum what life is like. You must include information
on: What your food is like. What you do in the spare time. What
life is like for you at war. How you are feeling.