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Defending the Nation

The Teeth and the Tail

From early hill forts to modern day trenches and camps, the Army have used different structures for defence over the centuries. This resource will help you to think about how these defences have been built, and to identify which shapes and designs are best for defending against attack.

The Army use a wide variety of different structures to attack from and defend themselves. Hill Forts and Castles are good examples of permanent defensive buildings. Trenches and Camps are built for temporary use. Some are unique to their location while others are built to standard designs, building methods, and building materials.

Many defensive structures include areas for fighting from and buildings for living and working from, such as barracks and guard houses. Edinburgh Castle is a good example of this as you can still see the defensive structures where the army would fight from, and the barrack buildings, hospital, gym, and other training areas where soldiers would spend the rest of their time.

Even though Edinburgh Castle has not had to defend itself against armies of attackers for a very long time, it is still used by soldiers to live and work in.

Field Fortifications are built when the army knows that they will have to defend themselves against attackers soon. They usually are long deep holes dug by soldiers called trenches. Sometimes they have added obstacles like barbed wire, mines, cut down trees, and tank defences.

Some defences are often camouflaged and designed to help the defender to use their own strength and weapons to their advantage.

Trenches during the First World War were dug in zigzag patterns in rows of three. Soldiers would fight from the front row, and the rows behind would have supplies, kitchens, and hospital tents.

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