Explosions have been roaring around you for hours when one of your fellow soldiers notices a greenish-gray cloud drifting along the ground towards your trench

What is happening?

Nothing it is just the smoke and dust from the explosions

It is a Gas Attack!

Which of these do you choose to use?

Unfortunately the option you chose is of no use to you. You and all your comrades that did not make the proper choice ended up seriously wounded, blind, or dead

You pull out your mask and notice that the lens are cracked. You know that the enemy will be attacking at any minute, what will you do? If you put the mask on you will not be able to see very well.

Put the mask on

Throw the mask to the ground and fight on

Although you cannot see very well you made the wise choice to put your mask on. Otherwise your fate may have been similar to the soldier attacking your trench that did not put his mask on

Notice the soldier that did not put his mask on.

Luckily you have weathered the enemy’s gas attack. Moreover, they chose not to attack so the cracked lens were not an issue and you drift off to sleep not looking forward to be awakened for your turn at guard duty

You are awakened for your turn at guard duty and groggily take your post.While on guard duty you notice flares going off. You know the enemy shoots flares in the air periodically to see if there is anyone trying to sneak across No Man’s Land

When the flare goes off you notice a glint of light off a shiny object a few feet from your trench (in No Man’s Land)

It is the tin your friend Pete lost the day before. Obviously it fellout of his gear either when you were going Over the Top or coming back from an attack.

You know that since his mother had sent it to him he would really love to have it back

Do you leave it where it is? Or grab it for Pete?

No Man’s Land – area between the trenches that wasn’t controlled by either side. Sometimes the distance between the trenches was great - up to a mile apart, sometimes it was very close (as close as fifty yards)!

Over the Top – Phrase used when soldiers went over the top of the trench to attack. The signal to do this was a whistle (go back)

Firestep – built to step up so that soldiers could fire over the top of the trench when being attacked and to make it easier to go Over the Top

You know that when the enemy flares are in the air you are a perfect Target for the snipers. Pete’s tin is not worth your life

You have heard too many stories of men that were shot by snipers for having exposed Heads for a second or two!

You shift on guard duty ends and you immediately curl up on the fire step to getA couple more hours of invaluable sleep

You reach out to get the tin and as you are reaching out you feel a terrible sting and hear a shot ring out. You have been shot – the glint of the flare off Pete’s tin is the last sight you will ever see.