Scapa Flow imposed a different strain from the Western Front

Troops on the Western Front rotated away from the forward trenches because effectiveness deteriorated quickly under those conditions. The comparison therefore distinguishes periods in the front line from the whole month spent moving between duties. The panel judges the trenches worse for physical health and danger, while Scapa Flow imposed more persistent boredom and isolation. The remembered photograph of thousands of sailors watching a boxing match illustrates the demand for diversions among crews kept at the anchorage.