medicine on the western front

• What were the two fronts on which World War One was fought?

  The Eastern Front and the Western Front
• What was the role of the British Expeditionary Force during World War One?


  They fought alongside the country's allies on the Western Front
• How long did the British sector of the Western Front stretch?


  90 miles (150 kilometres)
• What were the four key locations where the British army fought on the Western Front?

  • Ypres
  • Somme
  • Arras
  • Cambrai
• How did the different terrain at the key locations impact soldiers?


  It affected the injuries and treatment soldiers experienced
• Where did several battles take place surrounding the town of Ypres?


  In Belgium
• Why was Ypres strategically important for the British?


  It was on route to the channel ports of Calais and Dunkirk
• What advantage did the Germans have over the British at Ypres?


  The Germans were on higher ground
• What problem did the heavy soil at Ypres present for stretcher bearers?


  It was easily waterlogged and flooded
• How did the waterlogged terrain affect the evacuation of the wounded at Ypres?


  It made it difficult to move on foot through wet and muddy ground
• When was poisonous gas first used in warfare?


  During the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915
• What new challenges did poisonous gas present to medical services?


  It created new injuries and challenges
• What is the most notorious battle of World War One?


  The Battle of the Somme
• How many casualties did Britain suffer on the first day of the Battle of the Somme?


  20,000
• What was the total number of British casualties during the Battle of the Somme?


  Nearly 400,000
• What impact did the high number of casualties have on medical services during the Battle of the Somme?


  They needed to work quickly and under pressure
• What new technology was used for the first time during the Battle of the Somme?

  Tanks
• What was a problem caused by the use of tanks during the Battle of the Somme?


  They created uneven ground, making it difficult to transport the wounded
• When did the Battle of Arras take place?


  In 1917
• What did soldiers from Britain and New Zealand do before the Battle of Arras?


  They dug a network of tunnels in the chalky ground
• What facilities were added to the tunnels dug before the Battle of Arras?


  Rooms with running water and electricity, and an underground hospital
• How were the tunnels used during the Battle of Arras?


  As accommodation and shelter for soldiers during fighting
• When did the Battle of Cambrai take place?


  In late 1917
• How many tanks were used by British forces during the Battle of Cambrai?


  Over 450 tanks
• What was the initial outcome of the tank attack during the Battle of Cambrai?


  It was effective initially
• What was a major issue that led to the failure of the tank attack at Cambrai?


  The tanks did not have enough infantry support
• What was the consequence of the lack of infantry support during the Battle of Cambrai?


  The British lost almost all of the ground they had taken
• What were the problems in treating the wounded on the Western Front?

  • Constant dropping of bombs created craters and holes
  • Bacteria in the soil led to infected wounds
  • Stretcher bearers worked day and night but faced visibility issues
  • Ambulances struggled to move in the mud
  • High casualty rates slowed down medical treatment
• When were the trenches dug during World War I?


  In 1914
• Why were the trenches initially dug quickly?

  To protect the positions claimed and routes to the sea
• How did the trench system evolve during the war?


  It developed into a more advanced system that lasted throughout the war
• From where to where did the trenches stretch?

  From the French and Belgian coasts to Switzerland
• What was the purpose of digging trenches in a zigzag pattern?


  To prevent enemy soldiers from seeing or firing directly along a trench
• What problems arose due to the narrowness of the trenches?


  They often got blocked, leading to issues in moving and treating the wounded
• What are the different types of trenches in the trench system?

  • Front line trench
  • Communication trench
  • Support trench
  • Reserve trench
  • No Man’s Land
  • Dugout
• What is the function of the front line trench?


  It is closest to the enemy where soldiers fire across No Man’s Land
• What is the purpose of the communication trench?


  To connect the other lines of trenches for movement
• Where were support trenches located?


  Behind the front line trenches
• What was the role of the reserve trench?


  To prepare for a counter-attack
• What is No Man’s Land?


  The stretch of land between the Allied and German trenches