Use the latrines Toilets – known as latrines – were positioned as far away as possible from fighting and living spaces. The best latrines came in the form of buckets which were emptied and disinfected regularly by designated orderlies. Some latrines were very basic pit or 'cut and cover' systems.
These latrines were trench toilets. They were usually pits dug into the ground between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres deep. Two people who were called sanitary personnel had the job of keeping the latrines in good condition for each company.
The stink of war
The main latrines were located behind the lines, but front-line soldiers had to dig small waste pits in their own trenches.
It consists of one or several shallowly dug trenches into which people defecate. Faeces are covered after each use with the dug-out soil, thereby improving overall hygiene and convenience compared to that of defecation fields. A Shallow Trench Latrine is only recommended for the immediate emergency response.
About once every week to ten days, Soldiers would go to the rear for their shower. Upon entering the shower area they turned in their dirty clothing. After showering they received new cloths. They had their choice for size: small, medium, or large.
Toothbrush. Soldiers were required to maintain standards of hygiene and grooming, even under the most challenging conditions. Brushing teeth, with toothbrushes made from animal horn, shaving, rudimentary washing and regular haircuts were expected.
A Navy shower (also known as a "combat shower", "military shower", "sea shower", "staggered shower", or "G.I. bath") is a method of showering that allows for significant conservation of water and energy by turning off the flow of water in the middle portion of the shower while lathering.
Alternative names
In some regions, the term "honey bucket" is used (for example in Alaska), see also honeywagon (a vehicle which collects human excreta for disposal elsewhere). The term "bucket latrine" is also in use. In the UK Pail closet was also a common description.
A bidet is a plumbing fixture that is installed as a separate unit in the bathroom besides toilet, shower and sink, which users have to straddle. Some bidets resemble a large hand basin, with taps and a stopper so they can be filled up; other designs have a nozzle that squirts a jet of water to aid in cleansing.
However, time spent out of the line at least offered the opportunity for the frontline soldier to get clean. Communal baths would be set up and lice-infested clothing steam-cleaned. The chance to be clean was another essential prop to morale. Even more important to soldiers was the food that they ate.
The job fell to the American Graves Registration Service, the Transportation Corps, and thousands of civilian employees. Moving from country to country, they located graves, disinterred and formally identified remains, prepared bodies for permanent burials, and sent them home by ships and trains.
Getting to sleep
When able to rest, soldiers in front line trenches would try and shelter from the elements in dugouts. These varied from deep underground shelters to small hollows in the side of trenches – as shown here.
Progressive reformers pushed for municipal toilets, generally referred to as comfort stations, or rest rooms. Elite women's groups got behind the idea as well. And by 1919, more than one hundred cities had opened above-ground or underground comfort stations.
Shell shock and other synonymous terms are caused in part due to experiencing severely traumatic events such as those associated with warfare and combat, natural disasters, accidents, and other violent events.
In the United States Army, the responsibility for deploying field showers lies with the quartermasters. The field shower is also found in the U.S. Army's overseas deployments; for example, a field shower fed by two 2000-litre water blivets was set up in Ramadi, Iraq by the members of the 89th Regimental Chemical Shop.
Toilets that have been in use for some time can develop a lazy or weak toilet flush or just does not flush properly. It is quite common for minerals such as calcium and lime, along with debris particles such as rust to build up in the rim feed and jet holes of the toilet bowl.
You can find bidets all around the world. Besides France, bidets are common in other European countries such as Italy and Portugal. You can also find them in South American countries such as Argentina and Venezuela, and you'll find some very fancy ones used in Japan.
“Porta” or “port-a” is another, shortened, way of saying “portable” and “potty” is another name for a toilet, used a lot as a “cutesy” or toddler-friendly word used by a lot of parents across the United States. Since it's easy to remember, port-a-potty became one of the most common ways to refer to a portable toilet.
What are the Differences? It's simple: A two piece toilet has a separate tank and bowl, while a one piece is all connected. But there are other differences, too. One piece toilets are typically heavier and easier to clean, and there's less space for bacteria to grow.
What makes Kohler Class Five™ toilet flushing so effective? The bigger flushing valve — 3.25 inches in diameter versus 2.8-3 inches of conventional toilets — generates a higher speed, and thus pushes out the waste faster.
COMMODE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary.
With that being said, your next question may instantly be “How long should I stay in the shower for?” The easy answer is, as long as you want but traditionally should be between 3-5 minutes.
Hollywood shower (plural Hollywood showers) (naval slang) A long, luxurious shower, as opposed to a "navy shower".
The term "latrine" is still commonly used military parlance, less so in civilian usage except in emergency sanitation situations. Nowadays, the word "toilet" is more commonly used than "latrine", except for simple systems like "pit latrine" or "trench latrine".