The Wipers Times was a trench magazine that was published by British soldiers fighting in the Ypres Salient during the First World War.

Under its initial title The Wipers Times and Salient News, the first issue was published on 12 February 1916, with a circulation of one hundred copies.

Publication was held up after February 1918 by the German offensive on the western front in that year, but at the end of the War, two issues were published as The Better Times.

Most other contributors from the Division used pseudonyms, some now obscure, some intended to satirise contemporary newspaper pundits such as William Beach Thomas (of the Daily Mail) and Hilaire Belloc and some ironic, such as P.B.I.

In general the paper maintained a humorously ironic style that today can be recognised in satirical magazines such as The Duffel Blog, Private Eye, Le Canard enchaîné and The Onion.

Similar adverts appeared on the back and front inside covers: There were also sales offers for pleasant stays at unlikely locations like the city ramparts, for weapons like the flammenwerfer (flamethrower) and even for the complete Ypres Salient front line: The daily concerns of trench soldiers all make an appearance in the articles, sometimes explicit and sometimes as in-jokes for which outsiders would not have the key.

Sex: the collections of pornography known to the Division as "The Munque Art Gallery" and "Kirschner's" are frequently mentioned and occasionally advertised, as are the local brothels: the Fancies, the Poplar tree and Plug Street.

The reality of life in the trenches rarely breaks through what the editor termed the paper's 'hysterical hilarity' but when it does, the gallows humour is clear and may appear callous to modern eyes.

One example is a quote from an article in a British national newspaper about a bungled trench-raid, followed by a sharp comment from the editor of the Wipers Times: "...They climbed into the trench and surprised the sentry, but unfortunately the revolver which was held to his head missed fire.

This we consider real bad luck for the sentry after the previous heroic efforts to keep him alive.Another such, from the column "Verbatim Extracts from Intelligence Summaries" reads as follows: "At 10 p.m. the "Flying Pig" dropped a round in our front line at X 9 D 5 2.

The fourth issue contained this notice from the editor: We regret to announce that an insidious disease is affecting the Division, and the result is a hurricane of poetry.

Realizing Men must laugh, Some Wise Man devised the Staff : Dressed them up in little dabs Of rich variegated tabs : Taught them how to win the War On A.F.Z.

's baton in his knapsack, but we think you'll discard that to make room for an extra pair of socks before very long.TO LET-;Fine freehold estate in salubrious neighbourhood.

Owner going east shortly.-;Apply Bosch and Co., Messines.While others were not for outsiders: Things We Want To Know The name of the celebrated infantry officer who appears daily in the trenches disguised as a Xmas tree.

Captain Fred Roberts was played by Ben Chaplin and Lt Jack Pearson by Julian Rhind-Tutt, with Michael Palin and Emilia Fox in supporting roles.