does anyone know what going "over the top" is? I'm writing on an essay on the appalling conditions of the trenches in the Western Front and I can't find any info on this at all!
And does anyone know what soldiers did in the time when they were not on the frontline? or where to find the info
thanx!
2007-12-12 06:50:34 · 10 answers · asked by Christie! 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
sorry if i wasn't looking hard enough, it's been a long day, and thanx for all the answers, they've helped sooo much, but can someone tell me what they did while they weren't on the frontline, or if they weren't allowed to do anything during that time?
thanx!!
2007-12-12 07:12:12 · update #1
Yes, as the first person stated, going over the top was leaving the trenches to attack the enemy.
When soldiers were not on the front lines they were mostly resting. The way WWI was fought didn't give much of a chance for breaks. The cost in life meant that most people only got a little time off the line without being wounded.
2007-12-12 07:03:16 · answer #1 · answered by Yun 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Each countries Infantry had different regiemes during the 1st World War, if you was lucky you was a member of the Empire Forces under British Command. Here there was a strict rotation of troops to the 'front'.
As you already know going over the top only happened every so often in sectors and was not a constant attack every day by forces, when there was no actual battle going ahead the manning of the trenches was a dull monotonous time for most of the troops, interesperced by ocasional sniping, shelling and patrols at night.
On average a battalion (we wont go down to company / platoon size and keep it mainly general otherwise it will get complicated) would only be in the front line for 2 weeks out of 4, each section of the Battalion taking turns in the Attack, Support, Communication and Reserve Trench lines. Whilst they where there they would perform routine maintenace of the trenches, making repairs, new sallies, etc, etc, for the other 2 weeks of the month when the Battalion was 'Out of the Line' they would have rest for a week close to the front as Reserve Battalion, here they would perform training, wepons maintenance, kit repair, etc to ensure they where upto tip top condition, the other week would be set further back in full rest where leave would be granted to a set number of troops to leave for either Home, City or Recuperation leave, the rest would be given Medical, Heavy Clean, Repair duties.
Remember that the British troops never suffered from loss of Morale in the way the Germans, Austrians, Italians, French Armies did due to the rotation and rest.
Most of the FABLES of History, never seeing a Line Officer or Staff, Higher Officer than a Captain, stuck in the mud for days on end or in appaling conditions with no leave, etc, is very very false, even the losses sustained where not as great as some of the Battles British forces had in the 2nd World War, what made people think they where because most of the volunteer Battalions where made up of concentrated areas of Men, so if it suffered an attck or attacked itself the losses where from one area.
Hope this helps.
2007-12-12 15:30:26 · answer #2 · answered by Kevan M 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Over the top is where the soldiers where made to go over the top of the trenches into no mans land.
Well most of the trenches had rats and stuff which were living off the dead bodies in the trenches. Many soldiers got lice from the poor hygiene in the trenches. Many got trench foot from their foots being in water all the while because the duct boards didn't work properly. Some also got shell shock from the bombs and shooting going off all the while, some even got shot for being coward while suffering with this.
2007-12-12 15:01:35 · answer #3 · answered by Blub 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
All answers are correct. Going over the top usually meant sure injury or death for those ordered to do so, as they were usually gunned down by enemy machine gun fire or taken down by mines or tripped up by barbed wire. Soldiers probably did a lot of the normal things that soldiers do when on duty but not in the front line (loading supplies, distributing supplies to various areas, being transported between areas of combat, maintaining equipment). I'm sure that if you look hard enough that you can find some decent links for your paper. Although wikipedia isn't allowed as a primary information source for a paper, usually if you go to the reference links on the bottom of the page they will take you to some quality information. Good luck.
2007-12-12 15:01:31 · answer #4 · answered by ajfrederick9867 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
"Over the Top" when the soldiers(normally on the commend of a whistle) climbed out of the trenches to face and fight the enemy....
I am surprised you can't find the info. you require, as,out there there is a flood of it....Maybe you are not looking hard enough.
2007-12-12 15:06:11 · answer #5 · answered by Alan H 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Going 'over the top' is what they did when they would dash up & out of the trenches to attack the enemies lines usually to a hale of bullets & explosions that would decimate their ranks.
2007-12-12 14:55:47 · answer #6 · answered by Gary C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it means getting out of the trench and over the top across no mans land to assult the enemy
try the imperial war museum
2007-12-12 14:57:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Google search . Type in Hill 62 Sanctuary you will get quite a bit of 'Gen' on the trenches.
2007-12-12 17:49:16 · answer #8 · answered by baaden 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
over the top is when the soliders went over the top of the trenches charging towards the enmy.
2007-12-12 14:55:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
the first answer is correct
2007-12-12 14:57:30 · answer #10 · answered by edfj 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋