Trench Warfare: After seven months of training, the 35th Infantry Division, comprised of 27,000 Missouri and Kansas troops, deployed to France, landing in May of 1918. They were stationed in the quiet sector of Vosges, a range of low mountains near the German border, until they were deployed as reserve for the Battle of St. Mihiel on September 12. The battle went well and the 35th was not utilized. They camped out in the wet, wooded area under German shellfire until they were moved into position to begin the Meuse-Argonne Offensive on September 26. Artillery began preparations at 2:30 a.m. and the advance began shortly after at 5:30. The 35th captured the village of Baulny, Vauquois Hill, Cheppy, and were positioned between Varennes and Charpentry.
A second advance was planned for 5:30 the following morning, but without artillery preparation and support, the 35th was forced to dig in and make slow progress. The third morning was cold with a fine mist in the air. The German forces counter attacked at 6:30 that morning, but were repelled by the 35th. The next morning they faced heavy machinegun and artillery fire north of Baulny from the Montrebeau Woods, but were able to advance to the edge of the forest. On the morning of September 30, again facing heavy machinegun and artillery fire and gas, the 35th failed to take a hill over Exermont and were forced to retreat into trenches along the Baulny Ridge. They were relieved by the First Division, having suffered a total of 7,913 casualties in five days.
Life in the Trenches: Periscopes allowed soldiers to survey the dangers of no man’s land from the relative safety of the trench. Cigarette companies targeted soldiers in WWI, claiming smoking calmed their nerves and gave them focus while providing solace to the wounded. Mess kits and sewing kits were provided to each soldier to keep them healthy in the harsh conditions. Shovels, used to dig into the trenches, were often utilized as weapons in hand-to-hand combat. Soldiers on both sides often sharpened their shovels for battle. After WWI, shovels were redesigned to be more compact and maneuverable and soldiers are still trained to utilize them in combat.
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Gas: “Gassed is one of the new verbs the war has coined. Men are not always shot, but often, gassed.” Training with a gas mask was the most important lesson learned by the American troops. Trench bells would ring the warning for everyone to don their masks, limiting their vision, but protecting their lungs from irreparable damage.
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Trench Art: Life in the trenches and on the move across war-torn Europe was difficult and tedious. Many soldiers turned to artistic expression to pass the time and keep their minds diverted away from the horrors of war. Some doodled in their notebooks while others molded the malleable metals of their equipment into unique and fascinating pieces of art.
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Booklets: Reading material helped to occupy the minds of soldiers as they dug into trenches and waited for the attack, whether it was doodling in their field books or singing a song to remind them of home and lift their spirits.
