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Print Collection 12: The Trench Newspapers

"Have you ever sat in a trench in the middle of a battle and corrected proofs? Try it," wrote Captain F. J. Roberts, editor of the British trench newspaper The Wipers Times. The same combination of bitterness and humor in Roberts' words can be found in the hundreds of makeshift newspapers published by soldiers like Roberts during the war.

The improvised newsletters known as trench papers came about in part as a reaction to war reporting that reached the trenches from home. Official journalism often struck soldiers as inappropriate, since the controlled and self-censored press tended to produce confident, optimistic accounts that frequently misrepresented the war to home-front readers. In creating their own narratives of the war, soldiers saw a chance to satirize the press and to relieve the frustrations and fears that it brushed under the rug.

Trench newspapers were common in regiments across Europe. One hundred British papers and more than four hundred French ones are known to have been published. While some were simple penciled sheets reproduced with carbon paper, others were many-page publications made with printing presses, which soldiers sometimes came upon in the war-torn towns of France and Belgium. The Wipers Times, which appeared at different stages in its two-year history as The Kemmel Times, The Somme Times, The B.E.F. Times, and, after armistice, The Better Times, was made on a press found near Ypres (hence the paper's original name, a British mispronunciation of Ypres), which was later taken with the unit (the Twelfth Battalion Sherwood Foresters) when it moved. Due in part to a shortage of vowels in the type, only one page could be printed at a time, and issues were printed in editions of 100 or 200 copies. Their production was also constrained by the perpetual menace of bombardment. In the words of Captain Roberts, the paper was "produced when the air was generally full of shells... Often one had to stop writing an article in order to 'stand to.'"

The content of individual papers came from within the unit, inspired by daily events and inside jokes. Political satire was common, as were reviews of real and fictitious events, sham advertisements (for example, a "Cure for Optimism"), complaints and serialized stories. While these papers were most often intended for consumption within a single unit, they occasionally turned up far from the frontlines. In 1916, one issue of French trench paper Le Poilu du 37e was sold at a charity event in Boston for fifty francs.

The collection includes more than a hundred French trench papers (such as Le Pépère and Le Héraut) as well as newspapers in English and Arabic and German newspapers distributed as propaganda among Allied troops (such as America in Europe). See more about the trench papers in the Collection.

Call number	Title	Artists and Authors	Date	Size (cm)	Notes
XS-012	Hommage de Reconnaissance...	Pierre Chauvallon, Maurice Vannereau	1917	27.5 x 37.5	Publication dedicated to American benefactors of the Red Cross
XS-019	Le Pépère	Jean Bastia, Andre Dahl et al.	Apr. 21, 1916	25.8 x 33.6	French trench paper, 359th Infantry Regiment, Easter issue
XS-020	L'Esprit du Cor	A. Roubille, Albert Vuillemot, Fernand Pastoul, E. Loeber, M. Radiguet	Jul. 10, 1917	29.5 x 37	French trench paper, 66th Division
XS-070	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	Sept. 15, 1915	20.1 x 30	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-071	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	Oct. 15, 1915	20.1 x 30	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-072	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	Nov. 1, 1915	20.3 x 30.2	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-073	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	Nov. 15, 1915	20 x 30.2	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-074	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	Dec. 1915	20.5 x 30.2	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-075	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	Jan. 1916	20.1 x 31	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-076	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	Feb. 1916	20.2 x 30.9	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-077	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	May-June, 1916	20.2 x 31	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-078	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	July-Dec. 1916	20 x 31	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-079	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	Jan.-July, 1917	20 x 31	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-080	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	Aug.-Oct., 1917	19.8 x 31.2	French trench paper, Engineering Corps
XS-083	The Mess Kit		June, 1919	24.5 x 31.5	American Expeditionary Forces paper
S-002	America in Europe		Sept. 30, 1918	32 x 42.5	German propaganda paper directed at American soldiers
S-003	America in Europe		Aug. 5, 1918	32 x 42.5	German propaganda paper directed at American soldiers
S-093	L'Echo de Tranchéesville	Pierre Schlack, Gil Merren, Octave Pradels	Nov. 16, 1916	31.1 x 45	French trench paper, 258th Brigade, N. 28
S-094	Bleutinent	Viérus, P. Lacroix, L. David	Oct. 1, 1916	28 x 44.8	French trench paper, Bleutinent N. 24
S-095	Le Paix-Pere		Dec. 25, 1916	26.3 x 38	French trench paper, 359th infantry regiment. Christmas edition of XS-019, N. 40
S-096	La Musette	A. Bessard, Guy d'Abzac, Capitaine Naéguellé	n.d.	28 x 37.4	Litterary supplement to Le Poilu of the 37th Infantry Regiment, N. 1
S-097	Le Midi au Front	G. Gaulène, P. Jalabert	May 25, 1916	27.9 x 38	French paper, 296th Infantry Regiment. N. 8
S-098	Le Poilu sans Poil	D'Hauterives	n.d.	28 x 38	French trench paper, 9th Battalion of 23rd Regiment of Infantry. N. 15
S-099	Le Lapin à Plumes	Marcel Jeanjean	May, 1915	27.9 x 37.5	Illustrated supplement to Canard Poilu, N. 9
S-100	Le Poilu du 6-9	Georges Legey, Georges Bateau, Marcel Jeanjean, Pierre Chapelle	March, 1917	26.7 x 38.8	French trench paper, the 69th de ligne, N. 8
S-101	l'Image		1917	32.4 x 33.4	Illustrated two-sided sheet with anti-German cartoons. N. 21
S-102	Poil... et Plume	Gabriel Boissy	Oct. 1916	39.3 x 44.9	French trench paper, the 81st infantry regiment, N. 4
S-103	On les aura	André Soriac, R. Bacard	April 15, 1917	32.6 x 44.2	French trench paper, the 279th Territorial Regiment, N. 5
S-104	Boum! Voila!	Emile Pagèt, P. de Wasthol, Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, Francis Vareddes	April 4, 1916	28.4 x 43.7	French trench paper, contributors from various regiments, N. 2
S-105	Grenadia	J. de Clarfont, André Ferrières, Dehaye	Nov. 17, 1916	30.7 x 44.4	French trench paper of the 41st [...], N. 6
S-106	Le Poilu	V. Gonnet, Georges Frankel, Louis Despax et. al	July, 1917	30.5 x 44.6	French paper, various contributors, N. 35
S-107	Face aux Boches Illustré	D. Frénnoud (?)	Feb. 1917	27.3 x 35.9	Illustrated supplement to Face aux Boches, 7th Company of the 76th Territorial Regiment, N. 16
S-150	Le Poilu du 37è	A. Michel-André, E. Morisot, Francis Salabert	1916	32.3 x 25.2	French trench paper, the 37th de Ligne. No. 10. Reference to le Bochophage (S-155)
S-151	Face aux Boches	Louis Drouet, Auguste Praneuf	Dec. 1916	25.8 x 33.2	French trench paper, 7th Company of the 76th Territorial Regiment, N. 14
S-152	Face aux Boches Illustré	D. Frénnoud (?)	Dec. 1916	26.3 x 35.3	Illustrated supplement to Face aux Boches, 7th Company of the 76th Territorial Regiment
S-153	Rigolboche	P. J. Poitevin, Lt. R. Brès, Jules Pech, A. Lafont	n.d.	20.1 x 30.5	French trench paper, 20th Brigade, dedicated to marraines de guerre
S-154	Le Bochofage	G. Colombani, Henri Alibedt, André Charpentier	Dec. 25, 1916	24.8 x 32.6	French trench paper, 6th Company of the 68th Infantry, N. 5
S-155	Le Mouchoir	Louis Schem, J. Sesage, Ch. Vilpelle	Dec. 25, 1916	24 x 31	French trench paper, Mouchoir N. 41
S-156	A La Fourchette		Oct. 1916	23.3 x 35.7	French trench paper, the 9th - 2 - 43.6
S-157	Les Tablettes d'un Poilu	Jean Dur, Rapin	Sept. 1916	11.5 x 18.1	French trench paper, 6th Company of the 133rd [...]
S-158	Le Cafard Enchainé	H. Villaume, Jean Roit	Dec. 25, 1916	24.6 x 31.8	French trench paper, the 226th [...]
S-159	Marmita	M. P. Courcel, Paul Clérouc, R. Diligent	Dec. 15, 1915	24.1 x 32.5	French trench paper, the 267th Infantry Regiment. N. 17
S-160	L'Echo des Guitounes	Pilé, Lemercier de Maisoncelle	July 31, 1916	20.2 x 28.1	French trench paper, 144th de ligne, under management of Face aux Boches. N. 25
S-161	L'Artilleur Déchainé	A. Ostermann, A. Praneuf, Chancy, David	Aug. 15, 1916	21.9 x 28.1	French trench paper, 70th Battery of the 11th Regiment of Artillery à pied. No. 21
S-162	La Bourguignotte	Albert Muhlemann, André Schwab, Eugène Piron	April, 1916	22.2 x 27.4	French trench paper, the 227th de ligne. N. 8
S-163	La Premiere Ligne	G. Biolier, René Girard, Racine Carrée	n.d.	20.9 x 27.1	French trench paper, the 78th Battery of the 3rd [...], N. 2
S-164	Le Poilu	A. Comtes, B. Teulée	Sept. 30, 1915	21.5 x 26.5	French trench paper, the 303th Infantry Regiment. N. 10
S-165	Nos Filleuls	D.-M. Bergey	Jan. 1917	20.5 x 26.7	Boreaux newspaper connected with Le Poilu St. Emilionnais (S-167). No. 2.
S-166	Le Poilu St. Emilionnais	D.-M. Bergey, Paul Saby, Hubert Chagneau, K. Lotin	Dec. 2, 1915	20.3 x 27	French trench paper of the Pigouil soldiers. No. 9
S-167	Le Son du Cor	Sergent A.B.C.D. et al.	Jan. 1916	18.6 x 26.9	French trench paper, Chasseurs à Pied, N. 9. Contributors from various units
S-168	Le Tortillard		Nov. 10, 1916	36.3 x 22.9	French trench paper, Battery of le chemin de fer
S-169	l'Anti-Cafard		Dec. 1916	18.4 x 23	French trench paper, l'Anti Cafard N. 21
S-170	La Petite Marmite	Tirefeu	n.d.	17.9 x 23	French trench paper, 6th battery of the 53rd [...], N. 25
S-171	Le Tords-Boyaux		n.d.	15.5 x 20	French trench paper, 413th Machine-gunners
S-172	Carnel de la Semaine d'un Poilu		Jan. 22, 1917	16.3 x 25.2	French trench paper, "3 du 2 98T"
S-173	La Voix du 75	G. Pennel, Chollet	April 1916	14 x 22	French trench paper, First Group of the 62nd Artillery Regiment
S-174	Les Rigolos	Potimier	Feb. 15, 1917	18.3 x 23.1	French trench paper, 116th Battery of the 103rd Infantry Regiment
S-175	Le Souvenir	Jean des Vignes Rouges, Fernand Gregh, Michel Missoffe, André Laphin, Charles Dornier	Nov. 1916	23.3 x 33	French trench paper, contributors from various units, N. 11
S-176	Le 120 Court	Paul Broise, Grand Benêt Fils	March 13, 1916	25 x 32.7	French trench paper, Battalion of Chasseurs. N. 14
S-177	l'Ancre Rouge	Gabriel Gasc, F. de Prayols	July 9, 1916	24.3 x 31	French trench paper, 9th Battalion of the 6th Colonial. N. 6
S-178	Le Canard du Boyau	P. Goursat, R. Petel, G. Coroyer	Sept. 1916	25.2 x 32.6	French trench paper, 74th Regiment of Infantry. N. 8
S-179	Le Canard Poilu	Pierre Chapelle, Hunyadi Janos, Laprote-Dugué	March 1, 1916	25.1 x 32.6	French trench paper, Postal sector 127. N. 54
S-180	Le Klaxon	A. Samuel, Jean Ménil, Sylvain Toussant	Dec. 1916	25.1 x 32.3	French trench paper, 367th Regiment of Infantry. N. 12
S-181	L'Echo des Gourbis	J. Cazes, Ernest Lafont	April 12, 1915	21.2 x 32.7	French trench paper, 131st Regiment of Infantry Territoriale de Campagne. N. 2
S-182	L'Echo du Boyau	René Delmas	May 15, 1916	25 x 32.4	French trench paper, the 214th [...], No. 8
S-183	Le Camouflet	François Cancel, Sendrou, Franz	Oct. 15, 1916	25.1 x 32.4	French trench paper, 7th Engineering, Company 15/7. N. 7
S-184	La Fusée	Lt. de Bouillé	May 5, 1916	25.1 x 32.7	French trench paper, 252nd Regiment of Infantry. N. 7
S-185	L'Etoupille		Aug. 8, 1916	32.5 x 25.1	French trench paper
S-186	Le Poilu Marmité	L. Vergnaud, Albert Payand	Nov. 20, 1916	24.7 x 34.8	French trench paper, the 133rd Regiment at the front. N. 33
S-187	Poilu-Noël	L. Vergnaud, Albert Payand	Dec. 20, 1916	25.4 x 33	French trench paper, Christmas supplement to Le Poilu Marmité (S-186). 133rd Regiment at the front. N. 35
S-188	Le Plus-que-Torial	G. Linconnu, F. de Lille	March 15, 1916	24.9 x 32.6	French trench paper, the 342nd Territorial Regiment. N. 3
S-189	Le Sac à Terre et...	Raoul Pradel, S.Tray, Ignotus	Oct. 1916	25 x 32.6	French trench paper, 61st Battalion of Chasseurs à pied. N. 70
S-190	Télé-Mail	André Igon, Paul Gateaud, Pière Colombier, A. Lecomte	March 16, 1916	24.3 x 33	French trench paper, the telegraphists and fortification specialists en Campagne. N. 7
S-191	Titis & Totos		Dec. 20, 1916	25.1 x 33.2	French trench paper, 157th Regiment of Infantry. N. 32
S-192	Le Ver Luisant	Francis Salabert, Gypé, Jean Poincignon	June 1916	24.3 x 31.6	French trench paper, 68th section of floodlight operators of the 6th engineering unit. N. 9
S-193	La Vie Poilusienne	Georges Crouzet, Pierre Causse	April 1916	25 x 32.3	French trench paper, 142nd Infantry Regiment, N. 4
S-194	Lettres d'un Poilu	H. Paul	n.d.	22.9 x 36.2	French trench paper, 11th Company 106/3, N. 3
S-195	L'Echo des Cagnas		Dec. 15, 1916	22.8 x 35.6	French trench paper, 333rd Infantry Regiment machine gun company, N. 36
S-196	Le Grospère	J. Diot	Sept. 1916	22.8 x 36	French trench newspaper, unillustrated
S-197	Le Pouds des tranchées		1917	23.1 x 36.5	French trench paper, 133rd Infantry Regiment
S-198	Le Mouchoir de Boche		Dec. 10, 1916	22.8 x 35.7	French trench paper, 3rd Company of 227th Infantry Regiment
S-199	Notre Rire		n.d.	23.2 x 35.9	French trench paper, 3rd Artillery Regiment
S-200	Le Petit Echo	G. Morin, Géfiel, G. Labrunie	March 11, 1917	23.4 x 37.3	French trench paper, 18th Territorial. N. 122
S-201	L'Écho des Tranchées	Le Grignoux	May 10, 1916	21.1 x 32.8	French trench paper, 17th Territorial. N. 44
S-202	Le Crapouillot	André Warnod, Michel de Brunoff, Jean Galtier-Boissière, E. Galtier-Boissière	June 1917	21.4 x 30.1	Newspaper of Jean Galtier-Boissière published for soldiers and civilians. N. 1
S-203	Le Dernier Bateau	J. J. Roussau, P. Frédus	July-Dec. 1916	20.3 x 31.2	French trench paper, Engineering Corps. Duplicate of XS-075
S-204	La Ligature	Ferrey, Maran, J. E. Auclair	Dec. 15, 1916	20.1 x 31	French trench paper, 1st Section of 8th Engineering Unit. N. 10
S-205	l'Echo du Boqueteau	A. Boudon	July 1916	19.8 x 30.7	French trench paper, l'Echo du Boqueteau N. 32
S-206	La Guerre Joviale	André Rosmond	May 1917	21.2 x 31.2	French trench paper, 370th Infantry Regiment. N. 25
S-207	La Premiere Ligne	E. Gougerot, L. Barbier, A. Villemot	Dec. 1, 1916	20.9 x 31.3	French trench paper, date corrected to 1915. 78th Battery of the 3rd [...]. N. 9
S-208	Les Poilus de la 9è	Candide, Laroustoc, Juliette Claroux	July 11, 1915	19.8 x 30.9	French trench paper, 9th Company of 69th Chasseurs à pied. N. 14
S-209	La Mitraille		Oct. 13, 1916	20.1 x 30.7	French trench paper, a machine gun unit, N. 1
S-210	La Marmite	Pasquier, Chenu-Lafitte	Sept. 1916	20.8 x 31.4	French trench paper, 160th and 360th Infantry Regiments, N. 11
S-211	Le Péca		n.d.	19.8 x 31.2	French trench paper, Stretcher-bearer unit
S-212	La Saucisse	François-Oswald	Aug. 1916	21.2 x 30.7	French trench paper, 205th Infantry Regiment. N. 9
S-213	Le Tadebalgues		Jan. 10, 1917	20 x 31.1	French trench paper, illustrated
S-214	Le Schrapnell		July 15, 1915	20.3 x 31.1	French trench paper, Le Schrapnell N. 5
S-215	La Vie Chère à Berlin		n.d.	20 x 30.3	French trench paper, 115th Company of [...] Unit
S-216	Les Quat'z'Arts du Front	Paul Bisch, Albert Arnaud	July 25,1916	20.2 x 31	French trench paper, A. 16/27. N. 6
S-217	Ya Bon		April 25, 1917	23.6 x 30.5	French trench paper. Ya Bon N. 12
S-218	La Revue du Front et le Souvenir	Jean des Vignes Rouges, P.J. Poitevin, Maurice Allou, J. Delorme-Jules Simon	Feb. 1917	23.7 x 32.4	Contributors from war writers and members of various units. N. 14
S-219	Le Filon	Octave Aubert, Auguste Delfau, J. Serenne	March 20, 1917	24.7 x 32.6	French trench paper, 34th Division
S-220	Brise d'Entonnoirs	Pince Sans-Rire, Louis Abric	Feb. 1917	25.6 x 32.6	French trench paper, 82nd Infantry Regiment. N. 8
S-221	L'Écho Côtier		May 1, 1917	25.6 x 32.5	French trench paper, Marine unit, N. 5
S-222	Le Gafouilleur	Stein, Baudry	Jan. 15, 1917	25.2 x 32.7	French trench paper, 12th Cuirassiers, First Squadron of machine gunners. N. 19
S-223	La Mitraille	Raphaël Cler, Raoul Beauchamp, Fernand Sernada	March-April, 1917	24.7 x 32.3	War publication of Raphaël Cler. Managed by soldiers and civilians. N. 14 and 15
S-224	Bombes et Pétards		March 1, 1917	23.2 x 18.4	French trench paper, Trench-mortar operators in sector 192
S-225	L'Echo des Dunes	Georges Gouaux, Henri Mass	April 1917	21.9 x 27.9	French trench paper, 51st Artillery Regiment. N. 10
S-226	Le Bavardar de l'A.O.		Aug. 18, 1917	21 x 26.8	Trench publication of l'Armée d'Orient. N. 1
S-227	L'Echo des Marmites	Lucien Boyer, Grissotin, Jules R. Hervé	April 25, 1917	21 x 27	French trench paper, 221st Infantry Regiment. N. 19
S-228	Taca Tac Teuf Teuf	Edouard Sené, Del Marle, F. Désert, Harmel	Jan. 15, 1917	25.3 x 34.1	French trench paper or several groups of armoured car operators. N. 1
S-229	Le Pastis	Tomasi Sauveur	June 25, 1916	24 x 30.6	Trench publication founded in response to l'Ancre Rouge (S-178). N. 1
M-092	Le rire aux éclats	Maurice Devriés, Bethmann-Hollweg	Jan. 1917	37.6 x 49.6	French trench paper of [...] Infantry Regiment. N. 7
M-093	Le Héraut: Echos du Camp de Zossen	Leon Niémack, Eugene Dienne, Luc Fichtner	ct. 18, 1914	31.7 x 47.5	Newspaper written by POWs in Zossen. N. 1
M-094	Le Tord-Boyau	Maurice Vittone, Henri Daroust, Louis Latapie	July, 1917	31.2 x 46.4	French trench paper produced by members of 15th and 80th Infantry Regiments. N. 11
M-095	L'Horizon	Emile Laport, Bernard Naudin, J. Delorme-Jules Simon, Robert Vallery-Radot	n.d.	29.8 x 45.7	French trench paper, from Postal sector 12. Naudin illustrations. N. 6
M-096	Le Diable au Cor	G. R. D. Mac Grégor, Gordon-Biquefort, Julien Damoy	May 1, 1917	32 x 48	French trench paper, 47th Division of Chasseurs alpins. N. 36
M-097	Akhbār Al-Harb		April 20, 1917	32.8 x 49	Algerian war newspaper. Akhbār Al-Harb No. 139. News of Italian and Russian fronts, War in the Air, etc.

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