Q. How did the men see out of the trenches?
A. Putting your head above the parapet of the trenches was more or less suicidal, as Turkish snipers were quick to take advantage of any sighting of body parts. Loopholes were built into the parapets, with blanket or sandbag curtains behind them to darken the holes and conceal the observers. Trench periscopes, either factory made or improvised from scraps of wood and shaving mirrors, were the preferred method of observation as, even with the utmost caution, looking through loopholes remained dangerous. Periscopes were also fitted to rifles to enable them to be aimed and fired without the firer exposing himself to enemy snipers.
This and other trivia questions are included in our best selling Great War Educards
Help pass the Anzac legend to the next generation with our fun educards. These questions and answers were created with the help of noted Australian military historian Graham Wilson.
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