The British government promoted World War I as a safe adventure that would be over quickly, using propaganda posters to encourage enlistment. However, the reality of trench warfare was far different from what was depicted. Soldiers lived in constantly flooded, rat-infested trenches under the threat of bombardment. Their uniforms became filthy and equipment scattered, showing the boredom and hardship of trench life rather than the excitement portrayed in recruitment posters.

1. By Miss Boughey
www.WeatherheadHistory.ik.org www.SchoolHistory.co.uk

2. The British government
wanted to encourage
men to enlist for war.
They said the war
would be safe, hardly
any fighting, a good
lark and over by
Christmas.
A picture of soldiers going They used advertising
‘Over the Top’ posters to encourage
this idea!

3. The reality of ‘going over the top’ was
very different!

4. Soldiers were expected to carry all of their
equipment with them at all times.
They were supposed to keep it clean and in good
condition – they were British after all.

5. How the uniform and equipment changed
after just three weeks in the trenches…

6. Posters always
showed men ready
and willing to fight.
They never showed
the boredom of the
trenches or actual
fighting taking place.
Why do you think the
government showed
no fighting?

8. No smiling and relaxed faces…
No clean uniforms…
Their equipment is scattered
everywhere…
Boredom and sleep are
obvious…

12. The soldiers had very
little decent food,
and what food they
had was often
attacked by rats.
These rats were the
size of small rabbits
and badgers because
they had fed on the
decomposing bodies
of dead soldiers.

15. You have looked at the posters that the government
used to persuade men to go to war.
You have looked at photographs showing what war
was really like.
In your books write a page of information about
what YOU think war was really like. You could
describe some of the photographs/posters and
explain how they might make people feel about
fighting!