What were the sleeping / camp arrangements in WWI for Allied forces when they weren't in trenches on the Western Front? Did they still dig trenches when stationed in the Italian hills?

by Parkridge
AlviseFalier

Yes, trenches were dug in Italy, although I don't know anything about specific camp arrangements.

Northeastern Italy (where WWI fighting took place) is actually very flat. Between 1915 and 1917, the front was mostly stable along the River Isonzo, in spite of Italian offensives which created great losses.

Both Austria-Hungary and Italy ascertained that the easiest terrain to advance through is the Friuli, a region in the far northeast of Italy. However, there was also fighting going on the mountain border. This front was even more static, with both sides taking up long unbroken defensive positions on high ridges. Both sides had even managed to construct systems of tunnels under mountains by the time the Italian army abandoned their positions after a full retreat following the rout at Caporetto.

After the rout at Caporetto, General Luigi Cadorna was relieved in favor of General Armando Diaz, who contracted the Italian front along the River Piave. The first "mobile" battle of the war was fought on the banks of the river, with Italian units attacking and defending on the prerogative of individual commanders in response to the enemy's attempts to cross the river. After the overstretched and unmotivated Austro-Hungarian army collapsed, the spectacular and rapid Italian gains were also devoid of any trench warfare.