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How men鈥檚 jobs helped on the front line

Many men who went to war were able to use the skills learned from their jobs at home.

Men who worked with horses were useful recruits as the Army had thousands of horses.

Men who knew how to drive could transport supplies in buses and lorries. Or even drive a tank!

Silhouette of soldiers firing an anti-aircraft gun mounted on a lorry in the Battle of Broodseinde, Flanders
Image caption,
Artillery soldiers, or 'gunners.'

Coal miners became 'sappers', experts at tunnels and trenches.

The rifle was the soldier's main weapon. Men who knew about rifles were highly valued.

Artillery soldiers, known as 鈥榞unners鈥, fired explosive shells. The biggest guns weighed several tons and were hard to move. Artillery guns would fire thousands of shells to flatten enemy defences before the infantry ran forward. This was known as a barrage.

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What were the different types of soldiers?

Most soldiers in the Army were in the infantry. They were foot soldiers, trained to march and carry all their equipment.

A soldier had to be dressed at all times with his rifle ready.

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 3, British soldiers of the Royal Field Artillery in France in World War One, Infantry soldiers lived in trenches for up to weeks at a time When an attack was ordered, lines of infantry soldiers climbed out of the trenches and marched towards the enemy. This was called 'going over the top'.
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What kinds of jobs did sailors do?

In 1914 Britain had the biggest and strongest navy in the world.

The Royal Navy had hundreds of ships and more than 200,000 sailors.

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 4, A photograph of World War One battleship HMS Centurion at sea, The Navy protected the British Isles and its colonies It also blockaded the ports of enemy countries to stop supplies getting in. World War One saw only one really big sea battle, the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
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What different jobs were there in the Air Force?

Using aircraft in war was a new idea. Pilots first belonged to the Army's Royal Flying Corps or the Royal Naval Air Service.

These joined forces in 1918 to become the Royal Air Force.

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 4, British pilots handing in reports after flying over enemy lines in World War One, Pilots handed in reports after flying over enemy lines Their thick coats, gloves and helmets kept them warm when sitting in open cockpits in their planes.
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Watch: Men's jobs at home

Watch our video to find out more about how men鈥檚 jobs back home could prepare them for life at war.

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How did the war change men鈥檚 lives?

Despite the many volunteers who joined the armed forces, there was still a shortage by 1916.

A law was passed forcing men to join up, called conscription.

By 1918 all men under 51 were being called up.

Lots of men did not want to go to war, but they had to go. Many had never left their home town or village before. Soon they were in the thick of battles.

Scottish soldiers taking a break on the Western Front in World War One.
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Activities

Activity 1: Quiz 鈥 Men on the front line

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Activity 2: History Explorer game

Play this game to test your knowledge and learn even more facts about World War One.

History Explorer: Secrets through time

History Explorer: Secrets through time: KS2 History

History Explorer: Secrets through time
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Bitesize Primary games. game

Play fun and educational primary games in science, maths, English, history, geography, art, computing and modern languages.

Bitesize Primary games
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