From The Spectator, 28 November 1914:
After discipline and rifle shooting comes entrenching. We suggest, as a practical proposal, that every corps should practise its men at least once a week in trench digging. There ought to be no difficulty even in towns in inducing some patriotic man to lend them a piece of ground for the purpose. Further, in every district two or three model trenches should be prepared under expert direction. Trenches are not very difficult things to dig, but there are right ways and wrong ways of constructing them, and one practical example which can be inspected and copied is worth a hundred directions on paper. Spade-work has its fascination as well as marksmanship, and we do not doubt that, when once the corps realize the importance of good spadework, in a month or two many of them will become so efficient, that, if it ever comes to home defence, a weary field army may find with delight that they can always get positions prepared for them by the Home Guards quickly and in the very best possible manner.
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