41st DIVISION.
MEASURES TO BE TAKEN FOR THE PREVENTION OF TRENCH FEET.
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- The G.O.C. is circulating the following instructions for the prevention of Trench Foot, which will be issued to each Platoon Commander.
REPORTS.
- Battalions will render to Brigade Headquarters every Monday morning a special report made out on the attached specimen form of every man who is admitted to a Field Ambulance suffering from TRENCH FROST BITTEN FEET with all particulars required filled in. A summary of these reports will be published in Brigade Orders.
CAUSES
- Those conditions are caused by prolonged standing in cold water or liquid mud in the trenches, and their onset is hastened by tight boots, tight puttees, and everything calculated to interfere with blood circulation in the feet and legs.
PRECAUTIONS.
- (a) Before entering the Trenches every Officer and man is to wash, and then rub his feet and legs all over with whale oil, anti-frostbite grease, or other animal fat, especially between the toes (Mineral Oil has not been found effective for the purpose). This grease should not be merely applied but THOROUGHLY RUBBED IN UNTIL THE SKIN IS DRY. Unless this is carried out this precaution is valueless. Dry socks will be put on and all tightness of boots and putties avoided. This will be done as a parade, superintended by Company and Platoon Commanders.
(b) While in the trenches as often as it is practicable, boots and socks will be taken off, the feet dried and well rubbed with a rough towel and dry socks put on. Men whose feet are wet should not on any account try to warm them at a fire, or use hot water, as this produces chilblains and trench feet.
Once every 24 hours during the time their men are in the Trenches (firing line or otherwise) platoon commanders will themselves inspect every man’s feet. They will personally see that men take off their boots and rub and dry their feet. They will report daily to their Company Commander that this has been done.
If trenches are in really bad condition the above inspection will also be carried out by Section Commanders.
Two men per Platoon to be told off for the purpose of attending to men’s feet. They should be constantly going about amongst the men, and be provided with a constant supply of whale or other oil. Regimental Stretcher bearers could be used for this purpose.
Every man must have two spare pairs of dry socks and a serviceable towel with him. There is no shortage of the articles and they are to be carried in the greatcoat pocket. It is essential that the towel be taken to the trenches.
Arrangements must be made as regards sites for changing trench boots and for the disposal of ordinary boots. Prolonged wearing of Trench Boots is to be avoided. Places where they are required must be indicated, otherwise ordinary boots will be worn.
In very intense weather, on relief from sentry, every man must be made to take off his boots, loosen his puttees, and rub his feet. The Platoon Commander or N.C.O. who posted the men must be responsible for this.
If a man reports that his feet are beginning to get in a bad state he should be at once examined by the Platoon Commander, and the foot specialist, and if it is found that his feet are bad, the man should be relieved and sent to Transport Lines for a day or two, and made to carry out stamping exercises and continual foot rubbing. The trained chiropodists should exercise supervision over feet cases.
Great attention must be paid to feet on relief of a unit from the trenches. Platoon Commanders must hold daily foot inspections and immediately report doubtful cases to the Battalion Medical Officer.
(a) Every effort should be made to provide dry standing in the trenches.
(b) Long marches before entering the trenches are to be avoided as far as possible.
(c) Parties holding water-logged trenches should be relieved as often as the situation permits.
(d) Provision of warm food in the trenches when possible.
(e) Provision of warmth, shelter, hot food, and facilities for washing the feet and drying wet clothes for men leaving the trenches.
(f) Gum boots should be put on while the mens feet are dry, before entering wet trenches, in order that the men start their duty with dry feet.
(g) When gum boots are worn, it is well to support the socks with some sort of fastening such as a safety pin, to prevent them working down under the heel. On no account will anything in the form of a garter be worn.
(h) Trench boots are not to be taken beyond the Field Ambulance.
(i) Boots issued to men should be capable of taking two pairs of socks with great ease to the man. In other words, if a man usually takes an eight, he should be fitted with a nine size. Boots to be fitted and passed correct for length, ease, etc in the presence of the Platoon Commander, provided the Company Commander has faith in that Officers judgement: otherwise the Company Commander should be held directly responsible for personal inspection, that the boots of his Company are correct in every detail.
(j) Men are forbidden to wear long trench boots, or the short gum boots permanently in the trenches, and especially are they forbidden to sleep in them.
(k) SOCKS. Every night wet socks will be collected in the trenches, and returned to the sock laundry in the ration carts where they will be exchanged for a corresponding number of dry ones. These are then sent up the next night in the ration carts.
(l) Units in the front line will arrange for a certain number of dry coats and trousers to be kept at Battalion Headquarters.
The heat of braziers can be increased and maintained by putting a top layer of half bricks on the top of the charcoal once it is well alight. All men must be warned of the danger of suffocation by carbon monoxide from heated braziers in unventilated dugouts and billets.
The drainage of trenches can be improved by digging soak-pits in the centre of the trenches. the pits are to be securely boarded over to prevent accidents.
- In firing lines, one between every pair of traverses, where the soil is fairly porous; two between each pair where it is stiff clay.
- In communication trenches – one to every six to ten yards according to nature of soil.
- Where trenches are continuously floored with boards or gratings, the position of soak pits must be conspicuously marked, say by wooded tablets lettered “S” securely fixed to side of trench.
Regular arrangements will be made by Brigades to use the trench pumps, especially in the worst places along main communication trenches. These arrangements for trenches to be in the nature of STANDING ORDERS in anticipation of wet weather.
C.P. Pottes
Lieut. Colonel,
A.A & Q.M.G.
41st Division.
22nd October 1916.
