Donald Fraser was a Canadian soldier who carried rations to the firing lines, a long with many of his companions. They had walked for three hundred yards to deliver at the muddy trenches and Fraser describes the conditions and situations of these trenches. He describes the unsanitary and miserable lifestyle that the soldiers had to endure, "once a fighting soldier leaves England he practically sleeps in his clothes till he gets back there again" (Fraser, 1915). The frightening conditions while living in the trenches; and even when they are delivering the rations, it was a dangerous task because they were only safe from the rifle bullets once they descended into the trenches. Even at night, both sides continued to fire back and forth, ensuring a tireless night; the soldiers often were sleep-deprived and had a very small selection of food despite the increase in food supplies. Soldiers were even "rewarded" with teaspoonfuls of rum occasionally. Men were often wounded or killed out in the open. Fraser was led to a dug-out, where the soldiers stayed; the conditions were terrible as they were dirty and rat-infested.
One of the most difficult parts of living in these trenches is the harsh lifestyle and stressful conditions the soldiers are required to live under. For example, good sanitation is very lacking, the trenches and dug-outs are infested with rats and pests, food supplies are low and limited, and most of all, the soldiers live under sleep-deprived days where they are faced with the cruelty of war. This could often result in soldiers becoming shell-shocked and psychologically damaged. I would try to deal with the stress by being observant but also laying low, in order to not get thrown out to the no-man's-land and risk getting wounded or killed. Talking to the people around would probably help distract from the on-going dangers in the battlefield as well. Whatever role I was given, I would truthfully be terrified, because no one would want to live under these conditions willingly. However, I would have a sense of duty as this position was given to me and you have to fight for your nation. If I survived, I think the tragedies of war would've devastated me so badly that I would never have the same outlook on life or anything else, for that matter.
One of the most difficult parts of living in these trenches is the harsh lifestyle and stressful conditions the soldiers are required to live under. For example, good sanitation is very lacking, the trenches and dug-outs are infested with rats and pests, food supplies are low and limited, and most of all, the soldiers live under sleep-deprived days where they are faced with the cruelty of war. This could often result in soldiers becoming shell-shocked and psychologically damaged. I would try to deal with the stress by being observant but also laying low, in order to not get thrown out to the no-man's-land and risk getting wounded or killed. Talking to the people around would probably help distract from the on-going dangers in the battlefield as well. Whatever role I was given, I would truthfully be terrified, because no one would want to live under these conditions willingly. However, I would have a sense of duty as this position was given to me and you have to fight for your nation. If I survived, I think the tragedies of war would've devastated me so badly that I would never have the same outlook on life or anything else, for that matter.