Why trench warfare is no longer a thing of the past for British Army

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where both sides have dug vast networks of fortifications, has meant trench warfare is firmly back on the UK military training agenda.

At Sennybridge Training area (home to the infantry battle school) there are around 300 meters of newly refurbished trenches, built in the style similar to those used by Russian and Ukrainian troops.

The fortifications, reminiscent of World War One, have become an integral part of the war in Ukraine and although British troops may build trenches differently, they need to know how to fight in them.

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[HamSandwich]

It's actually just conventional warfare they're returning to. Trenches are a ubiquitous feature of conventional warfare. You're usually either defending in trenches or attacking enemy trenches. Western armies temporarily got away from that while they were doing counterinsurgency in the GWOT but they were always bound to return to conventional warfare as a baseline.

[Jrob]

I was talking to someone who said the Ukrainians and Russians were stupid for bringing back trench warfare but like I told him what else are they supposed to do with 1 mile+ sight lines with hardly any structures in between. It’s the only way to have cover when you’re trying to advance a front and not just patrolling from a fire base trying to get farmers to take shots at you

[theodorrodriguez]

the trench is the most basic form of defence, whether manmade of natural they will be used in every conflict

[nickmander]

Having served and trained in the Armed forces in the nineties, the training we got was live firing in the fire pits on the shooting range, whilst hugely smaller than a trench, it does make you realise about shooting from a safe point and how trenches however sodden save lives and give a bigger chance of a gun group to drop the enemy and gain ground. We’re trained how to use the environment that surrounds us for safety and advancement to drive or drop the enemy back. But I feel that this type of warfare should not have been dropped in the first place. After all camouflage and concealment isn’t always that easy, particularly if you are advancing from woodland into the villages or urban areas.

[balasaashti]

They need a army in the first place to man said trench.

[booletpruf]

General Melchett: What seems to be the emergency Baldrick?
Baldrick: Sergeant Gavin climbed into the trench!
General Mechett: My Word! Stand down the company while we get an excavator!

[DarthVader-uxuk]

My great grandfather fought in the British army at the Somme I wonder what he would think today.

[nealweightman]

No way has that guy passed the personal fitness test, he’d block the trench

[Ripper]

Back to the old school of infantry work

[clivesinclair]

1982 with fixed bayonets is not that long ago.

[battenburg]

Remember a few years ago, PM Bojo said the days of tank and trench warfare in Europe were over, and thus began to continue cuts.

Look where we are now

[tomje]

He ain’t raiding any trenches with that bergan counterweight

[slartybarfastb]

It's good to hear them say they've learned from the Ukrainians. Too many professionals believe they know better than those who actually have done it.
There is no more experienced army on the planet than the Ukrainians and Russians at this point. They should be training us.

[TerraRubicon]

With (cheap) drone technology everything changed. In my time some 30 years ago every soldier dug his own foxhole. Nowadays if you bunch together in a trench you become a tempting target. New innovations will always change the battlefield.

[Patriot]

i am ex forces and I think from my time to now - physical fitness is shocking

[armageddonready]

May I just say, those trenches are DREAMY.
Just look at those corrugated lines

[ghostwriter]

We did lots of trench clearing when I served in the very late 90’s.

[silverjohn]

Defensive training exercises are always exhausting. Digging trenches is one of the hardest workouts you can do.

[robertthomas]

Bayonets?
Scary.
All the best and stay safe.
🦘🇦🇺👍

[johnwright]

The platoon sergeants course was archaic in the seventies when I completed it .Short sighted thinking on the part of incompetent general staff.Blimps all of them.