8. Rats and Disease Flourished
In No Man’s Land, the accumulation of decaying bodies and stagnant water created an environment where rats, lice, and various diseases thrived, compounding the misery of combatants. Rats, attracted by the rotting flesh, were prevalent in the trenches, often described as “rats as big as cats.” These vermin not only scavenged food supplies but also spread lice, leading to infestations that caused trench fever and typhus among soldiers. The unsanitary conditions, including the presence of dead bodies and contaminated water sources, facilitated the rapid spread of these diseases, further deteriorating the health and morale of the troops. (bbc.co.uk)
