ife in the trenches was indescribably miserable. There were three lines of trenches; the first, at the front line, was proteaed bv m-ach- ine-guns and baibed wire entangle- ments; behind were the support and reserve trenches. It was said of the Munsters that they 'waste men wic- kedly' because they did not keep prop- erly under cover in the reserve lines.'. To get from one trench to another they had to pass through what was known as the communication trench. Through this network ran the telephone wires which were fastened by staples to the side of the trenches. When it rained, the staples fell out and the wires fell down, tripping the soldiers as they moved by Des Ryan through the trenches. Part Two For a newcomer, travelling by night in the trenches was a hazard. If the would slip, unnoticed, "into the slime when these shells exploded, they gave wires did not trip him up, he was liable and would often drown and lie con- off clouds of black smoke. Another to fall into a hidden hole. The trenches cealed for days'.2 shell was called a 'Whizz Bang', were dug in a zig-zag pattern in orderto Standing in muddy water for hours because, unlike a normal shell which contain a bomb explosion and also to caused the feet to swell and rot (this gave off a shrieking sound as it stop the enemy soldiers from firing condition was known as 'trench feet'). approached, this one arrived silently. down the full length of the trench. A The soldiers also caught trench-fever. What was the daily routine in the well dug trench, raised with sandbags, One of the most frightening periods of trenches like? Before dawn, all the men provided full cover for a standing man. all, for both sides, was when the artil- were awakened and quickly took up To fire over the top of the trench, a step lery pounded the trenches. Bodies and their positions on "the fire-step in case which was known as a fire-step, was earth flew everywhere and men were of a German attack at first lightW.3The cut out of the mud. Rain was one of the buried alive. For the soldiers trapped in German infantry probably did thesame greatest problems, for when it poured, the trenches, there was nothing to do on their side of the line. Both sides the soldier! could be standing for but pray. The men had names for the might fire off a few shots. If there was hours in mud and water up to their different calibre German shells: 'Coal no attack, it was hoped that a quiet day waist. During a battle, the wounded Boxes' or 'Jack Johnsons', because would follow.4 Breakfast was cooked A recruiting drive by the Munster Fusiliers in Ennis, 1914. THIRTY-THREE over little fires, and men shaved and heavy artillery soon began with have displayed throughout the cam- washed, provided they had enough deadly effect, and lasted for over paign? They have behaved like true water to do so. In quiet sectors, both three hours, smashing their trenches Irishmen; I am very proud to have sides observed a truce in this morning to pulp. Shells were going at the rate them under my command. May all domestic period. Any artillery which of a hundred a minute - like good luck attend the Battalion".l3 did not ,obey this rule was roundly hailstones. At about 8.30 the same During Easter, news was received abused becausg it only- encouraged morning large masses of Germans of an impending German attack. But prompt retaliati~n.~Asthedaydragged were to be seen advancing on the this information did not 'deter Fr. on, the men tried to relax or catch up on right of the canal (La Bassee), which Gleeson from carrying,! out his sleep, but this was almost impossible was about fifty yards across. It looked as some soldiers walked by, kicking the very critical for the time being; how- legs of their sleeping comrades. The ever, we were not to be daunted; we officers inspected the trenches and held our ground until the last, but the jobs were found for the soldiers before numbers told. The battalion on our the first shell arrived. In some units a right had to fall back to their reserve measure of rum was issued, and hot trenches, leaving our battalion, the meals were brought up from the rear. Munsters, in a terrible position and In the evening, if the German exposed to a murderous fire. Then trenches were near enough, a sing- came the most arduous task of the song might start. Each side would take day: there was nothing for us but to turns and, as darkness fell, applause retire. The next moment we heard, and encores would sound out across our machine guns opening rapid fire no-man's-land. But, for the most part, at the rate of 500 rounds a minute, the two sides neither saw nor heard covering our retirement. Then, the each other for long period^.^ When same evening, the order came that darkness fell, work began for both the trenches should be taken at all sides: damaged trenches were costs, and of course the Munsters repaired; food, stores and ammunition had to do the work again ... Just were brought up to the front lines; sen- before dusk, our artillery opened a tries were posted for the night; raiding terrific fire to cover our advance; then parties went out and, as daybreak they (the Germans) were only 70 came, another routine day had dawned yards away. The first dash we made on the Western Front.7 we gained our lost trenches, leaving In the disastrous Gallipoli campaign many dead in front of us and plenty of 1915, the 1st. Battalion of the helmets and jack-boots, very good Munsters, who were entrenched at souvenirs; but, after the charge, they Syvla Bay, had to jump out of their had good reason to know the Mun- trenches when, after a heavy rainfall, ster~,who played a most prominent the water came gushing down them. It part in the gallant chargen.g happened so fast that some of the men In the village of Givenchy the Germans were drowned. During the night of the charged down the street and, in the flood, a pony, a mule, a pig and two fierce hand-to-hand fighting which fol- dead Turkish soldiers were swept into lowed, they were driven out. the trenches. Many Munsters died in The Munsters had another break the trenches from exposure in the from the fighting during the last two snow and winds of that winter. weeks of February, and were inspected Disillusioned with the cries of 'home by Lieut-General C.C. Monro, who before Christmas', the armies on the commented: "Everybody knows what Western Front were, by January 1915, the Munsters have done, and how they settling down to a war of attrition. And did it. I have every confidence in the by then, the trench system had Regiment".lo stretched from Nieuport in Belgium, Between the 10th and 12th March, down through France, to the Swiss the British Expeditionary Force gained frontier. a piece of ground, 4,000 yards by 1,000 priestly duties to the men, and he In the early days of January 1915, the yards, at the loss of nearly 13,000 spent four days in the front line, Munsters were having a relatively quiet men." Itwas also around this time that about 150 yards from the German time repairing and maintaining the one of t6e senior commanders of the B trenches. It might be said that many trenches. But th~srespite did not last E F was dismissed for protesting Catholic priests earned a reputation long, and they were soon back in the against the cost in casualties of repeti- for being in the front line with their front line, holding an area between tive frontal attacks.12 men. Givenchy and the La Bassee canal. hn St. Patrick's Day, the fusiliers In early May, the French Army While there had been sporadic fighting attended a mass which was said by Fr. launched their spring offensive at throughout the month, the Germans Gleeson, the battalion chaplain. Major Arras. To stop the Germans from made a determined attack, on January Rickard, who was then in charge of the sending men and supplies down the 25th, to take the town of Bethune. They battalion, read out a message which he line, the BEF carried out a supporting thought it would make a nice present had received the previous day from attack, but their main objective was a for the Kaiser, whose birthday was on Lieut-General Monro: postion behind the German lines, the 27th. One machine-gunner des- "Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day. Will known as Auber's Ridge. The Mun- cribes what happened: you therefore convey to all the ranks sters, who were with the 1st Army, "On the morning of January Xth, the of the Royal Munster Fusiliers my were to attack from the trenches out- Germans commenced a lively can- very best wishes on this great side the village of Rue du B~is.On the nonade on the right and left of our anniversary for all Irishmen, and at evening of May 8th, the fusiliers positions, as they were the weakest the same time tell them that I fully marched through the village and points in oy$ines. Our batteries and recognize the fine fighting spirit they halted on the side of the road, about THIRTY-FOUR 500 yards from the trenches.