Im confused about what happened to the edge of the bit that was taken. If its a line north to south wouldn't the defender just attack from the north and the south and take it back?
I dont think this sounds like im explaining it very well.
If the British attacked the germans and took 200 yards of trench. What would they do at the point where the newly taken British trench met the German trench?
Like this GGGBBGGG (G=German B=British)
At that point where the two meet surely the British would be outnumbered, were defences put up and how was it held?
Also, i assume the trenches weren't just one continous line, so what happened at the point where the trenches 'stopped' so if this was the set up ===| |=== (=being trench | break in the trench) what would happen at the break?
And what happened at the beach? ^^^Did ^^^they ^^^fight ^^^them ^^^on ^^^the ^^^beaches?
This is well described in First Day of the Somme by Martin Middlebrooke, and by both Junger and Rommel in Storm of Steel and Infantry Attacks, respectively.
Trenches were dog-tooth or zigzags to prevent long sections of trench being enfiladed by fire, and were thus fairly defensible at a corner (or where the trench had been obliterated by artillery).
The attacking troops, having captured a section of trench, would erect improvised barricades at either end of the section to hold off lateral counter attacks. These spots were often bitterly contested and hand grenade duals would often develop at these points.
The troops would also have to contend with enemy counter attacks 'frontally' and would use the captured trench in reverse.
Counterattacks could be broken up by artillery fire, but it was far from easy for the troops to call in the artillery. Telegraph and telephone cables were easily cut by shellfire, and it wasn't until late in the war that effective systems of flairs and 'SOS' rifle grenades could be implemented for artillery observers in the air and on the ground.
Finally, while all of this is happening, designated 'moppers up' would be in action bombing captured enemy dug-outs to make sure their unit did not get fired on from behind.
Also, i assume the trenches weren't just one continous line, so what happened at the point where the trenches 'stopped' so if this was the set up ===| |=== (=being trench | break in the trench) what would happen at the break?
Trenches were sometimes broken, but the breaks would often be there for a reason. If you look at this map you can see trenches having an end where the ground is particularly swampy or for some tactical or geological reason it was not possible or desirable to have a continuous line.
Note how very much more extensive the German trench system is than the British. This is because the Germans were on enemy soil and more happy to stay put. The Entente on the other hand had to adopt a more offensive posture to push the enemy off their land, hence their trench systems are more rudimentary.
