New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Conditions requiring medical treatment on the Western Front

I can explain the range of conditions which required medical treatment on the Western Front.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Conditions requiring medical treatment on the Western Front

I can explain the range of conditions which required medical treatment on the Western Front.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The trench environment led many soldiers to suffer from both physical and mental health conditions.
  2. Bullets and shrapnel were responsible for most wounds.
  3. Bullet and shrapnel wounds led to a high risk of infection for soldiers.
  4. Gas attacks were used on the Western Front.
  5. Gas attacks accounted for a small percentage of overall British deaths.

Keywords

  • Shrapnel - small, sharp pieces of metal that fly through the air when a bomb explodes

  • Wound - an injury, especially one that is made by a bullet or sharp object

Common misconception

Poisonous gas was amongst the deadliest weapons used against British soldiers during WWI.

Gas attacks accounted for only 1% of deaths amongst British soldiers during WWI.


To help you plan your year 10 history lesson on: Conditions requiring medical treatment on the Western Front, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Tell pupils the painting from the Task C was produced by an artist (John Singer Sergeant) who worked for the British government, but did not fight in WWI himself. Have pupils debate whether they think this would affect the reliability of the source for a historian studying gas attacks.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
is the process of moving people from a dangerous place to somewhere safer.

Correct Answer: Evacuation

Q2.
During which battle was a hospital set up in underground tunnels?

Second Battle of Ypres
Battle of the Somme
Third Battle of Ypres
Correct answer: Battle of Arras
Battle of Cambrai

Q3.
Chlorine gas was used against British forces for the first time at which battle?

First Battle of Ypres
Correct answer: Second Battle of Ypres
Third Battle of Ypres

Q4.
What was No Man's Land?

Correct answer: the area between British and German trenches
the trenches used to launch attacks from
areas in the trenches where troops could rest and shelter from attack
trenches used to connect the frontline and support trenches

Q5.
In muddy conditions, how many stretcher bearers were needed to evacuate a wounded soldier?

one
two
Correct answer: four or more

Q6.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.

1 - inoculation against smallpox began in Britain
2 - first smallpox vaccine developed
3 - smallpox vaccines for children became compulsory
4 - mass government vaccination campaign against diphtheria launched
5 - mass government vaccination campaign against Covid-19 launched

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Small, sharp pieces of metal that fly through the air when a bomb explodes are known as .

Correct Answer: shrapnel

Q2.
How many British soldiers were killed by gas attacks during WWI?

Correct answer: 6000
60 000
600 000

Q3.
Match each medical condition to the common symptoms it caused.

Correct Answer:trench foot,swelling in the first stage and gangrene in the advanced stage

swelling in the first stage and gangrene in the advanced stage

Correct Answer:trench fever,flu-like symptoms such as severe headaches

flu-like symptoms such as severe headaches

Correct Answer:shell shock,tiredness, uncontrollable shaking and psychological distress

tiredness, uncontrollable shaking and psychological distress

Q4.
What protective measures were introduced on the British sector of the Western Front in 1915?

Correct answer: Brodie helmet
gas gangrene vaccinations
Correct answer: gas masks
tetanus vaccinations

Q5.
Why did trench fever remain common, despite the introduction of delousing stations for British soldiers?

Trenches were often flooded.
Correct answer: Trenches were often overcrowded.
Trenches were often under attack.

Q6.
Starting with the one that affected the most, sort the following conditions according to how many British soldiers became victims of it during WWI.

1 - trench fever
2 - poison gas
3 - shell shock
4 - trench foot

Additional material

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