Question for history students/teachers or WW1 enthusiasts - (1 Viewer)

[ashleyashley]

How did British and French forces communicate in WW1 in the Western front with different languages?
And did British and French soldiers have any opportunity to not be in the trenches e.g. be in the cities and walk around?
And if so, and they did, then did they interact with each other much? Or not because of the language barrier.

(I know basically nothing about this... I know more about the ANZACs' experience, WW2 and the Vietnam war to be honest, but WW1 is relevant to what I need to write.)

Need information for my English imaginatives, since I did so badly in all my previous ones I thought I'd try preparing one beforehand.
Thanks!

 

[alphxreturns]

How did British and French forces communicate in WW1 in the Western front with different languages?
And did British and French soldiers have any opportunity to not be in the trenches e.g. be in the cities and walk around?
And if so, and they did, then did they interact with each other much? Or not because of the language barrier.

(I know basically nothing about this... I know more about the ANZACs' experience, WW2 and the Vietnam war to be honest, but WW1 is relevant to what I need to write.)

Need information for my English imaginatives, since I did so badly in all my previous ones I thought I'd try preparing one beforehand.
Thanks!

1.

as u can see in the map, french and english/american troops were grouped in their respective armies, with little mixing between. however, when they were in contact (often), there was cooperation between units– back then, officers came almost exclusively from higher classes, and were thus more educated. french was a common second language throughout upper english society so small scale coordination and communication was possible.
also, american/british troops were commonly issued basic manuals (known as 'phrasebooks') with useful terms seen like below (from random website)

2. most of the units rotated at rates of 1 week frontline, 1 week second line, 1 week rest (tho there r ppl saying 2 weeks) so yeah they did get to go to cities and walk around. it was more common for british/american troops to go to places like paris (going back to america = impossible, going back to britain = not easy). french could theoretically just go home (this didnt actually happen much, contributor to the 1917 french army mutinies)

3. i have no clue on this one. id assume they have basic interactions, friendly. likely they'd use their phrasebooks to communicate but mostly stay with their own people. sorry

hope this helps

 

[ashleyashley]

1.
View attachment 48594
as u can see in the map, french and english/american troops were grouped in their respective armies, with little mixing between. however, when they were in contact (often), there was cooperation between units– back then, officers came almost exclusively from higher classes, and were thus more educated. french was a common second language throughout upper english society so small scale coordination and communication was possible.
also, american/british troops were commonly issued basic manuals (known as 'phrasebooks') with useful terms seen like below (from random website)
View attachment 48595
2. most of the units rotated at rates of 1 week frontline, 1 week second line, 1 week rest (tho there r ppl saying 2 weeks) so yeah they did get to go to cities and walk around. it was more common for british/american troops to go to places like paris (going back to america = impossible, going back to britain = not easy). french could theoretically just go home (this didnt actually happen much, contributor to the 1917 french army mutinies)

3. i have no clue on this one. id assume they have basic interactions, friendly. likely they'd use their phrasebooks to communicate but mostly stay with their own people. sorry

hope this helps

ty so much bro ur a life saver