Given that the powers that be tended to try to keep troops busy whilst out of the line, with construction of roads, digging communication trenches and combat training, it is likely that most trench art made by soldiers ‘at the Front’ was actually made in the front-line and reserve trenches. Periods of inactivity at the front, perpetuated by the 'live and let live' systems that operated periodically at various points on the front, would have provided endless hours of time for Tommy and Fritz. While letters home, smoking, ‘chatting’ (i.e. searching for lice in your clothes) and the infamous ‘Crown & Anchor’ would have, for most, filled these times, for some trench art became a way of consuming attention.

Trench art would have served more practical purposes also. Some forms, such as vases, jugs and tobacco jars would, more than likely, have actually been used by the men, while the more impractical and decorative items would simply have been made to brighten up their dug-outs.

Naturally, as with any item of limited availability, trade would have quickly sprung up. The more able producers would not have been long in realising the trade value of their craft ! You will even come across items with parts of the decoration left blank, which would obviously have been intended for a name of a place or person to have been inserted for whoever ended up acquiring the item !!