An idiots guide to an idiot: Practise Trenches

Sounds odd doesn't it. But in the woods near Berkhamsted there was (depending on the records you look at!) between seven and a half and thirteen miles of practise trenches dug just over one hundred years ago.

The Inns of Court Officer Training Corps established a camp at Berkhamsted in September 1914 as they had outgrown their London headquarters due to the huge influx of recruits since war was declared but a month earlier. It was a huge tented camp, in exitance until 1919 during which some 12000 officer recruits had passed through the camp, just over 2000 were killed and three were awarded the Victoria Cross:

2nd Lieutenant Jack Harrison VC 11th Bn The East Yorkshire Regiment

Captain Walter Stone VC 3rd Bn The Royal Fusiliers

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Bushell VC,DSO 7th Bn The Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

So what are practise trenches? Actually it is what it says. The troops were practising how to dig good trenches, its more than just digging a hole. There's the parapet and on the reverse side the parados, the trench itself built in a zig zag or crenelated shape. This reduced the area that shell blasts could effect. The hard digging of flint and clay being practise for what was to come. Although ironically 'The Devils Own' as they were known would be destined to be the officers overseeing the men digging trenches rather than digging themselves! There's a field just behind Berkhamsted Castle called Kitchener's Field, this was their parade ground where arms drill was carried out. Though some of the trenches were filled in there's alot left and much to my pleasure and surprise you get a good idea of what they were. Though really little more than ditches now you can easily discern shape though I couldn't tell which were the front line trenches and which were the reserve and communication trenches, basically which way they'd have been shooting if they were in France!