THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF POLISH LEGIONARIES IN VOLHYNIA IN 1916 IN THE LIGHT OF MILITARY DISPATCHES (Zycie codzienne legionistów polskich na Wolyniu w 1916 roku (w swietle odpraw wojskowych))

The aim of the article is to show the everyday life of the soldiers of the I Brigade of the Polish Legions commanded by Józef Pilsudski. The analysis is based on 22 military dispatches from May and June 1916, documenting the briefings of commanding officers in the Brigade headquarters in Nowa Rarancza. The dispatches regularly contained press communiqués on the situation on different fronts. Depending on the current needs and the orders from the larger units of the Austro-Hungarian Army, whose part were the Polish Legions, they regulated a variety of issues. The regulations concerned the building and conservation of defences and other structures on the front line, fire prevention, the maintenance of roads and effective communications, the sanitary conditions and the health of the legionaries, prevention of infectious diseases, meals, supplies of food, clothing, footwear, weapons and ammunition. Another vital issue was caring for the horses, which were the Brigade's basic means of transport, and providing veterinary service. The dispatches also formulated guidelines as to leaves, people's assignment to units, promotions, decorations, keeping record of the fallen by chaplains, taking care of the graves or saving various materials. The issues addressed in the dispatches, subject to normalization, reflect the daily routine of front life, the organization of the army and the soldiers' living standards. They also indirectly indicate the poor economic situation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the general worsening of the living conditions after two years of war.