Trench art

Trench art is any decorative item made by soldiers, prisoners of war or civilians where the manufacture is directly linked to armed conflict or its consequences. It offers an insight not only to their feelings and emotions about the war, but also their surroundings and the materials they had available to them.

Common articles that this includes are decorated shell and bullet casings and items carved from wood and bone.

Not limited to the World Wars, the history of trench art spans conflicts from the Napoleonic Wars to the present day. Although the practice flourished during World War I, the term 'trench art' is also used to describe souvenirs manufactured by service personnel during World War II. Some items manufactured by soldiers, prisoners of war or civilians during earlier conflicts have been retrospectively described as trench art.

Categorisation

There are four broad categories, four circumstances under which trench art items were created:

Category 1: Soldier-made items

There is much evidence to prove that some trench art was made in the trenches, by soldiers, during the war.