“Props” is an informal, colloquial term for the limbs that support a person, especially the legs. In First World War soldier speech, it could be used with dark humor to describe severe wounds or amputations. The word normally suggests something that holds an object up, so its use for legs reduces the wounded soldier to a damaged body supported by “parts,” emphasizing the dehumanizing consequences of war.

The ordinary meaning of a “prop” is a support, such as a pole used to hold up a structure. Calling legs “props” draws on this meaning. The term belongs to the poem’s working-class Military dialect, reflected in spellings such as “’is,” “’e,” and “losin’.” Owen uses blunt, conversational slang throughout “The Chances” to show how soldiers discuss death, injury, and capture as possible outcomes of going “over the top.” Do not confuse this sense of “props” with the modern informal expression meaning “respect” or “credit,” as in “give someone props.”