The Trench Rotation Cycle

Soldiers did not spend all of the time in the trench lines. Commanders set up rotations where units were regularly rotated into or out of the trenches. A typical eight week trench rotation cycle would be:

1. Three weeks in the trenches - two weeks on the front line, a week in the support
 lines
2. Three weeks in reserve billets behind the lines - but close enough to act as
 reinforcements
3. Two weeks at rest camp well behind the lines

Then the rotation would start again - but the unit would likely be moved into a different section of the lines.

Relieving a unit almost always took place at night, with as little sound as possible. If the enemy became aware that fresh troops were moving in they would pound them with an artillery barrage, or launch a quick raid to take advantage of the confusion. Even before all the fresh troops had moved up, the unit would post forward observers or scouts in hidden posts in No Mans' Land to act as an early warning system. The rest of the unit would alternate between work and rest, repairing the trench defences, communications systems, or shelters, bringing in supplies, or simply acting as sentries. At night work parties would creep into No Man's Land to string up new barbed wire, relieve the observation posts, or scout the enemy defences.

On June 30, 1915, we began our front line duty at Messines which lasted until March 16, 1916 (eight months and a half) during which time we got to know every stick and stone in the area, --8 days in support and 8 days in reserve--all as regular as clockwork. One could plan months ahead. It got a bit monotonous. In order to cut down on casualties we began digging shell trenches at the rear of our regular lines. these were trenches 8 to 10 feet deep and about two feet wide. When a bombardment opened we left sentries in the main trench and the rest filed into the shell trench.

We slept most of the day unless we happened to be on trench duty. As we did 2 hours on duty and 4 off, we got quite a bit of sleep.

The Brigade had two Battalions holding the line, one in support and one in reserve. The 10th and 5th usually held the line together--the 5th on the right of Messines Road. Each Battalion had two companies in the line, one in support and one in reserve. The reserves were moved from place to place--sometimes in the woods behind Hill 63 and sometimes on the top of the hill.

On Nov.1st the guard over "C" Hqrts. was relieved and we had a good sleep in our makeshift dugout. It was a bit warmer but at noon it started to rain and our roof being a fair weather roof leaked.