A soldier from the 2nd Battalion The Royal Yorkshire Regiment walking through a trench system on Salisbury Plain. It’s a scene that feels both historic and incredibly current.

When we think of trenches, our minds often go straight to the harrowing images of the First World War. For years, millions of soldiers lived, fought, and died in the vast, muddy networks that scarred the landscapes of Europe. The trench became a symbol of brutal, static warfare and immense human suffering.

Yet, over a century later, trenches are far from a relic of the past. As this photo shows, they remain a crucial part of modern military tactics and training. Armies around the world continue to use them for protection and strategic positioning.

The ongoing conflicts we see today, particularly in Ukraine, have brought the reality of trench warfare back into sharp focus. They prove that while technology, like the drones and advanced systems being trialled in this very exercise, has evolved warfare into a three-dimensional battlespace, the fundamental need for a soldier to find cover in the earth endures.

It’s a sobering reminder that while the nature of combat changes, some of its core elements remain brutally consistent. The trench stands as a timeless testament to the vulnerability and resilience of the soldier.

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