Yorkshire Trench

[dah]

Having visited the excellent Yorkshire Trench back in June, it was apparent that the two dugouts were completely flooded (and presumably still are, despite this wonderful summer weather). This suggests that wartime pumping-out of water must have been an ongoing necessity in order to keep the dugouts in operational use. Was this done electrically, manually – or by using some other clever construction technique (possibly connected with the A-frame trench flooring) to avoid flooding?

Even so, just how dry would these dugouts have been in each of the 4 seasons ? Were they fully boarded - floors, wall and ceiling – with some kind of sump from which to pump out the muddy slurry? Were the conditions for the dugout occupants as damp and filthy as my imagination suggests – or was the type of environment as depicted in Blackadder achievable?

Is there some suitable reference book where I can learn more about the construction techniques?

Many thanks,

David

[gem22]

David

Most, if not all, of the personal accounts I have read comment on how wet the dugouts were in the Salient. Bear in mind that German trenches were generally on higher ground than British and so they pumped out down-hill. These same accounts suggest the pumps were electric when it was available but in most cases it was a matter of trying to drain off the water or putting up with the mud. That is why you find so many references to soldiers going home on leave still covered in Flanders mud.

The Somme wasn't quite so bad as the chalky downland made it easier to dig proper dugouts and 'better' drainage. But all things are relevant.

Garth

[Mark Hone]

There is a very interesting booklet called 'Geology of the Western Front' by Peter Doyle, published by the Geologists Association in 1998 (ISBN 0-900717-59-9) which explores these questions in pretty straightforward terms and acts as a little guidebook as well. You may end up knowing more than you ever wanted to about Paniselain Clay Levels and the like.

[Aurel Sercu]

Having visited the excellent Yorkshire Trench back in June, it was apparent that the two dugouts were completely flooded (and presumably still are) (...). This suggests that wartime pumping-out of water must have been an ongoing necessity in order to keep the dugouts in operational use. Was this done electrically, manually – or by using some other clever construction technique (possibly connected with the A-frame trench flooring) to avoid flooding?

Even so, just how dry would these dugouts have been in each of the 4 seasons ? Were they fully boarded - floors, wall and ceiling – with some kind of sump from which to pump out the muddy slurry? Were the conditions for the dugout occupants as damp and filthy as my imagination suggests ?

Hi David,

I can only speak for the Yorkshire Trench Dugout.

When we explored it the very first time (February 1992) deep down we found 3 pumps. Manual. I remember that 2 of them were found in a sump. (I don't remember where the 3rd was found. I think in one of the corridors.)

I cannot imagine some clever technique connecting to the A-frame trench floor. The dug-out floor after all is approx. 9 meters below the trench floor.

Yes, even in summer the water level is high. And even in this dry summer the level would have been half a meter or more higher than it is now, had the two entrances not been connected to the trench, where the water is drained by means of a system we installed beneath the duckboards, in the lower half of the A-frames.

Was the dug-out floor fully boarded ? I must say I'm not sure I remember. We never saw the floor, as there always remained half a foot or so of water and mud. (We could have removed all the mud and pumped out all the water, but this would not have been easy. Besides, there was no need to.) I think it was fully boarded. If it had not been I'm sure our wellies would have been sucked into the mud and we would all have had to climb out of the dug-out it on our socks ! Which our wives would not have appreciated.

Aurel

[ianw]

I think most dugouts in the salient would have been at least partly below the water table so I think pumping would have been a constant necessity.