While primitive, and susceptible to damage from shell-fire, it made life a little bit more bearable for soldiers in the forward trenches.

Duchêne's massing of his troops in the forward trenches also meant there were no local reserves to delay the Germans once the front had broken.

The German 4th division breached the line and took the forward trenches which the British failed to recover during counter-attacks.

They reached the forward trenches but were then shelled by the French in error.

"It was extraordinary for a newspaper correspondent to be in the forward trenches at all; he should never have been in no man's land."

Ben breaks up his platoon once again, sending ten of the men to the forward trench and keeping eight in the gun-pit.

General Campbell on the left was killed before he could get a few yards beyond the parapet of the forward trench.

Sharpe watched as his men filed into the forward trench, each holding one of the grotesquely stuffed bags.

Red soldiers trotted past, retreating north up the road and Hill 260.8, some without weapons, running from the beating they'd taken in their forward trenches.

The forward trenches at Fonquevillers were in a horrific condition.