Living in trenches for about two weeks at a time left soldiers with few options for bathing. Here, several Canadian soldiers use a water-filled shell hole to shave and to wash their faces and feet. Keeping one's feet clean and dry was essential for avoiding "trench foot," or rotting feet, caused by standing too long in water-logged boots and socks.
George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19920085-434
Canada and the First World War
