TWENTIETH CENTURY DEFENCE SITES of TYNE and WEAR

Section 1 From 1900 to the end of WWI
Radio mast at Cullercoats. Reproduced with
permission from Newcastle City Library Acc.
46360
Rifle Ranges and Practice
Trenches (Fig 1)
Rifle ranges became a common feature of
the nineteenth century landscape as the
numerous units of the Territorial Army
required facilities to develop and hone the
marksmanship which became a trademark of
the British infantry. Many were constructed
on common or marginal land on the edge of
built-up areas. The two listed below were
First World War additions. Rifle ranges were
often constructed with two sets of targets in
parallel, as seen for example at Whitburn,
Sunderland, perhaps for the purpose of
running inter-company shooting
competitions. Unit rivalry was believed to be
one of the best means of spurring on the
troops to achieve high performance.
16
The First World War was characterised by
trench warfare. The Germans first dug trench
lines to protect themselves from enemy
gunfire, and the Allies soon followed suit.
The trench lines soon spread from the North
Sea to Switzerland, protected by lines of
barbed wire. Allied front line trenches were
about 7 feet deep and 6 feet wide. They
were dug in a zigzag pattern to prevent the
enemy from shooting straight down the line.
A “fire step” formed of sandbags was cut into
the side of the trench to allow sentries to see
over the side of the trench. Communications
trenches linked the front line to the reserve
trenches. Through these, men, equipment
and casualties could be moved. Between the
Allies and German trenches was No-Man’s
Land which was normally around 250 yards
wide (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/
wwone/launch_vr_trench.shml)
In Tyne and Wear there were several
examples of practice trenches which display
the characteristic zigzag pattern. Only those
at Cleadon Hills are still visible on the
ground, in the right light.
15 Hylton, entrenchments (HER
5481)
A prehistoric adze was found during the
excavation of entrenchments on the brow of
the hill above Hylton Castle during World
War One (Preston 1929 and Miket 1984).
16 Brunton, World War One
Practice trenches (HER 5030)
There were also practice trenches in these
fields, now ploughed away (information
provided by Mr Fairburn 2002).
17 Whitburn Rifle Ranges and
Practice Trenches (HER 2587)
At Whitburn there are five ranges, one 40
yards long for side arms, and four for rifles
(one of 600 yards, and three of 500 yards).