What were ladders in WW1 trenches used for?

Answer 1

The condition of WW1 trenches were truly appalling, and ladders were necessary not just to climb out of the sodden, mud-caked trenches, but were laid across the surface of the mud in many places in order to facilitate easier movement.

When trucks or horse-drawn vehicles got bogged down, brushwood or straw was used to help maintain a purchase in the muddy ground.

The constant artillery bombardment of the trenches meant that the fields of battle were treeless, plantless mudbaths devoid of any natural fauna or flora, and the constant rain and troop movements made conditions even worse. Many front line unites lived in trenches with permanent standing water in them. C'est la guerre.