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Tactics and Duties
for
Trench Fighting
By
Georges Bertrand
Capitaine, Chasseurs Alpins, de rArm^e de France
and
Oscar N- Solbert
Major, Corps of Bnlineers, U.S.A.
With Diagrams
-> " w
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
NEW YORK AND LONDON
tTbe Knfcfiet&ocfiet press
1918
U Cj f4 4
Copyright. 191 8
BY
OSCAR N. SOLBERT
Ubc Itniclterbocltcr |>rc00, l^ew l^orlt
'-4
FOREWORD
It must be borne in mind that this book
deals with principles and examples of methods
of warfare, and not fixed rules. There are no
fixed methods in warfare. Development in
warfare means change of methods or the
invention of new ones to overcome military
difficulfies. However, one must have knowl-
edge of past and present methods to be ready
for the next logical step of development.
Ul
369704
Headquarters, Fort Sheridan Training
Camf, III.,
October 26, 191 7.
From: Major 0. N. Solbert, C. of E.
To the Adjutant General, U. S. Army,
through official channels.
Subject : Publication of Lectures.
I. Request authority to publish in pam-
phlet form lectures given at this camp on
Trench Fighting.
Major, C. of E.
1st Indorsement
Office of the Senior Instructor, Fort
Sheridan Training Camp, Illinois,
October 26, 191 7.
To THE Commanding Officer:
Earnestly recommending that the lectures
referred to above be published in pamphlet
form. I consider it most desirable that every
graduate of this camp take these lectures with
him, upon being commissioned. I do not
believe that the best interests of the service
will suffer, in any way by publishing these
lectures.
Lt. Colonel, Infantry,
Senior Instructor.
VI
2nd Indorsement
Hq., The Fort SHERroAN Training Camp,
October 26, 191 7.
To THE Adjutant General of the Army,
Washington, D. C.
I. Approved.
Colonel of Cavalry,
Commanding.
War Department, A. G. 0., October 31,
1917.
To Headquarters, The Fort Sheridan
Training Camp, Fort Sheridan, III.
Returned.
I. Approved.
By order of the Secretary of War:
Adjutant General.
Vll
CONTENTS
Chapter I
Organization of the Company for Battle
Formations
PAGB
Specialists — Organization of a Typical Company
—Use of Specialists — In the Defensive — In
the Qffetisive — ^Formations — Initial Form-
ation—Close Order and March Formation —
Approach March — Skirmisher line — ^Assault-
ing Pom^ations — Composition of Lines —
Drill Regulatioiis i
Chapter II
Developnient of a Position from an Open
Warfare Battle
General Use o| Fortifications— Change from Battle
Lines to Trenches of a Position — Division of a
Position— Different Lines of a Sector — ^Prin-
d^es of Organization — Flanking Fire — ^Field
of Fire— Location of Trenches — Compart-
ments — Conceahnent — ^Elements of Organi-
zation — Plan — Outline of First Line — Cover
Trench — Advance Posts — Loopholes — Tra-
verses — ^Transversals — Support Trenches and
Redoubts — Boyaux and Communication
Ditches — Accessory Defenses — Command
Posts 34
ix
Contents
Chapter HI
Sector and Trench Duties
PAGB
Plan of Defense — Defimtion — Principles — Form
of — ^Details of Trench Duty — Guard Duties
— Sentinels — Reconnoitering Patrols — Ob-
servers — Attrition — Fighting Patrols and
Raids — ^Arms, Equipment, and Ammtuiition
— ^Activities of the Troops — Reports — Use
of Infantry and Artilleiy Weapons, and
Liaison — Machine Guns — Trench Mortars —
Artilleiy Support — Use — Barrage — Liaison —
Instructions for Sentinels — ^Watchers — Ob-
servers ....... 62
Chapter IV
The ReUef
Definitions and Principles — Kinds — ^Preliminary
Dispositions for the Relief — Time to Prepare
— Preparation — Reconnaissance — Relief Or-
ders—General — Battalion — Movement of the
Relief — Departtu'e — March to Rendezvous
of Guides — Guides — March in the Boyaux —
Occupation of the Position — Duties after i o^
Chapter V
Defense of a Position
Hostile Attacks — Kinds — Surprise — Precautions
against — Maintenance of Barbed Wire En-
tanglements — Service of Guard and Observa-
tion— " Stand-To " Exercises— Attack in
Contents
PAGE
Force — Revealing Symptoms — Preventive
Measures before — Perfecting Organization of
Position — Increase of Control and Discipline
of Defense — Moral Preparation of the Troops
— Maintenance of the Garrison during the
Bombardment — Reply with Artillery Fire —
Defense of First Line during Assault — Duties
of Watchers — Defenders of the First Line —
Fighting in the Interior of the Position — De-
fense of an Area — The Counterattack —
Troops Detailed for — Routes or Directions —
Form of — ^Repair of Position . 123
Chapter VI
Attack of a Positioa
Phases — Preparation — Assault against First Hos-
tile Line — Exploitation of Success — ^Prepara-
tion—Front of Attack — Conditions of Assault
— Distance of — Trace of Lines of Departure
— Ground Preparation — Organization of As-
sault — ^Execution of the Works — Artillery
Preparation — Counter- Battery Fire — Fire on
Communication Routes, etc. — Destructive
Fire — ^Plan of Action — Observation — Control
— ^Plan of Battle — Strength of Enemy — Pre-
paration of Men for Attack — Mission of At-
tack — The Assault — Disposition in Depth —
Waves — Assaulting Companies — Supporting
Companies — Disposition of Assaulting Bat-
talion in the Departure Trenches — Order of
Attack — Departure of Assault — Support Ar-
tillery — Departure of First Echelon — De-
parture of Second Echelon — Advance of Re-
serves — ^Fighting in the Interior of a Position
xii Contents
PAGE
— Principle of — Details of — ^Assatdting Com-
panies — ^Reinforcing Companies — 'R6ie of the
Artillery during the Attack— Principle of Ac-
companiment Fire — Means of Controlling
Barrage— Liaisons during Attack— Aviation . 1 52
Chapter VII
Model of Trench Orders
Plan of Defense— Order for Relief— Plan Of Attack
— Order for Attack — Order for a Raid . . 1 96
Chapter Vm
Special Operations
Raids — Preparation — Purpose of — Troops Em-
ployed — Objective of — ^Execution of — In-
fantry Support — Artillery Support — Gas
Warfare — Kinds — Protections against — -
Special Precautionary Measures — liquid
Fire — Mines 216
Tactics and Duties
for
Trench Fighting
Tactics and Duties for
Trench Fighting
CHAPTER I
ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPANY
FOR BATTLE FORMATIONS
I. Specialists
The exigencies of modem warfare, espe-
cially of trench warfare, have developed new
infantry weapons. As there are several
kinds of these weapons to each infantry
company, the men detailed to handle them
must be trained as specialists. The weapons
are:
Hand grenades '
Rifle grenades
Automatic-machine rifles
Rifles
' .^ ^ ' ' - '
2 Trench Fighting
The men who use these weapons are respec-
tively known as:
Handgrenadiers
Riflegrenadiers
A. M. R. crews
Riflemen
As a consequence of the new weapons, a
company is now organized on a basis of these
specialists. A typical company is patterned
like that of the French, the only difference
being in the ntmiber of specialists. Each of
the four platoons of a company contains the
same number of specialists and each platoon
is divided into four sections of specialists.
Organization of a Typical Company
One lieutenant (ist and 4th platoon* under
1st lieutenants; 2nd and 3rd platoons under
2nd lieutenants).
One sergeant (second in command, assistant
to platoon conmiander).
1st Section, 22 men
2nd Section, 12 men
3rd Section, 12 men
4th Section, 1 1 men
Total 57 men X 4 = 228 men
224 rifles
64 pistols
16 automatic rifles
» V V V
" i
Battle Formations 3
Platoon — I St Section — Hand and Rifle
Grenadiers
1 Sergeant, pistol and rifle.
3 Corporals, pistol and rifle.
6 Privates, ist class, all with rifles, two
of them with pistols.
12 Privates.
22 men.
2nd and 3rd Sections — Riflemen
2 Corporals, rifle and pistol.
3 Privates, ist class, rifle.
7 Privates, rifle.
12
4th Section — Automatic Riflemen
I Sergeant, pistol and rifle.
1 Corporal, pistol and rifle.
3 Privates, ist class (automatic-rifle
, gunners, including I extra).
6 Privates, rifle.
II
^ Officers
, I Captain.
3 First Lieutenants.
2 Second Lieutenants.
4 Trench Fighting
The platoon is the self-contained unit with
the proper proportion of all the different kinds
of specialists for the assault. The reason for
this is that the platoon is the largest unit that
one leader can control in combat. The four
platoons are alike and therefore interchange-
able.
Although it is true that the specialists are
particularly trained with their own weapons,
all men of the company are first trained as
riflemen. All specialists carry rifles, and if
for any reason they cannot use their special
weapon they immediately become riflemen.
Also every man is trained in hand-grenade
throwing. This makes it possible to fill gaps
in the specialists* ranks from the riflemen.
Some men also, usually to the ntunber of the
A. M. R. crews, must be trained to operate
the automatic-machine rifles.
The remaining supernumeraries of the com-
pany, such as mess and supply sergeants,
mechanics, cooks, buglers, etc., do not march
with the company in maneuver or combat
formations. Some of the above supernumer-
aries will be found in the captain's headquar-
ters, or tactical group, such as the liaison
agents from the platoons, orderlies, buglers,
and observers. Mess and supply sergeants,
cooks, etc., remain with the regimental train
Battle Formations 5
in rear, with the kitchen behind the artillery
positions. The tactical group of the captain
lives in an adjoining dugout to that of their
chief in the sector. In the fight these latter
are used as messengers or observers.
n. Use of Specialists
The following table shows the evolution of
infantry armament since the beginning of the
war:
At Beginning of War
Rifle and bayonet .... Nearly total personnel
Handgrenades Nil
Rifle-grenade guns Nil
Automatic rifles Nil
Present Time
Hand grenadiers per Co 48
Rifle grenadiers per Co 24
Automatic rifles per Co 16
Outside the company is the 37 m. m. gun
in the battalion and trench mortars and en-
gines, permanent equipment of the trenches.
6 Trench Fighting
In the Defensive
Hand Grenades. Hand grenades are used
to produce a short-range defensive barrage
at a distance of about 30 yards in front of
the trenches. For this purpose one grenade
thrower is required for from 10 to 16 yards
of frontage.
They are also used to establish centers of
resistance; to protect important features of
the lines, such as saKents, machine-gun or
automatic-rifle posts, command posts, listen-
ing posts, etc.
They are used to defend a barricade in a
communicating trench. In this latter case
the grenades may be thrown from a special
bombing post estabUshed for that purpose or
from an adjoining trench.
Rifle Grenades. Rifle grenades are em-
ployed to establish a barrage at a greater
range than that of the hand grenade, being
used up to as great a distance as 300 yards.
The great advantage of the rifle-grenade
barrage is that it is under the control of the
platoon leader and can be called into service
immediately, which is not always true of the
artillery barrage.
Several grenade rifles concentrated on a
trench will stop hand-grenade throwing from
Battle Formations 7
the same. Rifle grenades are usually shot
from the cover trench immediately In rear
of the fire-trench.
Automatic-Machine Rifles. In the defen-
sive the A.M.R's are usually employed to
obtain flanking fire from the firing line, but
may be used in the cover trench and sometimes
in shallow holes out in front. In interior
fighting they are used to cover stretches of
communicating trenches against an enemy
that has penetrated the first line.
Riflemen. The riflemen are placed in the
intervals between the specialists in the firing
line. They are also used as snipers and as
sentinels. These sentinels are not to be con-
fused with watchers, who may or may not
carry rifles.
In the Offensive
Hand Grenades. In the offensive, hand
grenades are used to reach the enemy under
cover in trenches, etc., by high-angle throwing.
It is an excellent weapon to clear out the
trenches that the assaulting coltimns are
advancing against. The H. G. and the R. G.
break the resistance, so to speak, of the line
that the attack is to capture and the assault-
ing troops are to occupy arid hold. The
8 Trench Fighting
places of the hand grenadiers in the assaxilting
column are seen in the diagram.
The hand grenade is the principal weapon
in trench combat — that is, to obtain progress
laterally and in depth in the trenches after a
breach has been made at one point, as every
foot of trench has to be fought for. Each
section of trench, between traverses, is cleared
of the enemy by throwing H. G*s into it. It
is then occupied and the next section cleared
and occupied in a similar manner.
In a raid on the enemy's trenches hand
grenades are used to clear up the particular
stretch of trenches before the raiding party
jtimps into them. This will be taken up in
detail later.
Rifle Grenades. The rifie grenade in the
offensive is employed similarly to the hand
grenade, to reach an enemy under cover, but
at a greater distance.
It is used to help reduce all nests of resist-
ance that the assaulting infantry runs up
against, and when the artillery barrage is not
obtainable for that purpose.
They may be used as a barrage to cut off
the retreat of a small group of the enemy that
is being attacked in front.
Rifle grenades are very useful against coun-
terattacks, especially before machine guns
Battle Formations 9
can be brought up and the defensive artillery
barrage obtained.
The A. M. R. The A. M, R., with its
great mobility and ease of control, makes it
possible to carry this weapon in the assault
and to be used immediately the wave is halted
for any reason. In this connection, it can be
instantly employed against a nest of resistance.
It is used in the assault to protect the flanks
of the assaulting waves, especially when
stopped.
As the A. M. R*s are brought up in the first
wave, they are immediately available against
counterattacks upon the captured position.
In a similar manner they are employed to
hold ground gained until an artillery barrage
can be obtained to support it and before the
machine guns come up.
The Riflemen. The riflemen, with bayo-
nets fixed, do the necessary fighting in the in-
terior of the enemy's position. As was stated
before, the H. G. and the R. G. break the
enemy's resistance and the rifleman does
the hand-to-hand fighting required to occupy
the objective lines of trenches.
To make a little r^sum^, we may say that
the best results will be obtained by the proper
combination of all of these weapons. The
low trajectory weapons (rifle, A. M. R., H. G.,
lo Trench Fighting
and the 37 m.m. gun) concentrate on every-
thing that shows itself above the trenches;
while the high-angle missiles (H. G. and R. G.)
seek out the enemy under cover. The rifle-
men complete the success of the specialists by
rushing forward and occupying the enemy's
position and fighting hand to hand for it if
necessary.
in. Formations for Maneuvering
this Resultant Company of
Specialists
(Formation of the Platoon)
Initial Formation. The initial formation
of the platoon in sections of specialists as per
diagram is almost self-explanatory. Each
group of specialists is in this formation
under the control of its leader ready for any
maneuver.
The platoon is the attacking unit because it
contains all the specialists required for the
assault. The frontage of an offensive is com-
posed of a series of platoons, each with a
definite objective, and each with reinforcing
platoons in depth following.
All other formations, whether for combat
In Itial
Formation
OF THE
Platoon
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II
12 Trench Fighting
or ordinary march maneuvers, are based upon
this initial formation.
Close Order and March Formations. From
the initial formation, we pass to the close
order formations, used for parade, roll call,
or the march.
(a) First we have the company in line, which
is the habitual formation for assembly.
(6) From the company in line is formed a
column of fours, for marching. The squads
that are complete execute "squads right or
left," while the remaining odd ntmiber of
specialists in any section execute the easiest
movement to bring them into column of fours,
sometimes with blank files behind the rest of
their section.
Approach March. The approach march is
a name given to the formations that the pla-
toon in section columns takes up to minimize
casualties while crossing the zone of artillery
fire.
These formations are taken up under the
conditions of open warfare, or, in the case of
reinforcements, following up an attack.
The formations may be in *'Line of Section
Coltmins" or ''Double Line of Section Col-
umns.'* In the first case, each section may be
in single file or in double column ; or again the
first and fourth platoon section may be in
FfflNATIONS m ASSEMBLY. MARCH, AND WRADE
^captain . 1
I I I I I
Four liAiion agtfnh
(bfie from eith platoon
|^-*g< in &m. (^ Pi.
El r5T5i ^
l»^l ° I G I S I
B iGioraa
H IRGdRCg
E^l R I R I R I
IRIRIRIRI
IS^I R I R I R I
l!*^l R I R I R I
IRIRI RIRl
l»^IACt^-RIAC l J.
lA-RIACIACIACI^ ^
ESI ISl
Compj^ty or Platoon Company or Platoon
in Column 0/ Fouri in Line
14 Trench Fighting
double column and the second jind third sec-
tions in single file." In the ** Double Line of
Section Columns** any of the formations in
the diagrams may be taken up, depending
upon circumstances.
The interval between sections is variable,
but usually the interval is such as to give
room for the proper development into line of
skirmishers.
Skirmishers. This formation of skirmishers
is not taken up for the assault, but under
similar conditions as that of the approach
march — that is, for open warfare and for the
advance of the reinforcing platoons behind an
at/Laci^.
To form the skirmish line, each section
column simply deploys into line, each man
going either right or left front into line from
the regular formation of double line of section
coltmin.
If you inspect the figure, you will see
that this deployment into skirmish line gives
practically the type formation of the first
reinforcing platoon in the assaulting coliunn.
Assaulting Formations. In the attack the
platoon forms and goes forward in waves.
A wave is not one line of men, but is composed
usually of two or three liftes.
The composition of the lines of the wave
PLATOON IN DOUBLE UNE OF S£CDON COLUMNS
:»IUftE
4 COMWNY FORMATIONS FOR MANOEUVRE
W Ml U W
DD DD11D-
M m
[\n\_\m
M M
n n^-^-n n
MSM I pa 301 2S
i6 Trench Fighting
depends upon the duties and functions of the
different specialists during the attack.
Let us recapitulate the functions of the
specialists in order to show the reasons for
their positions in the assaulting wave.
The First Line of the Assaulting Wave.
In this line are the grenadiers, whose duty it
is to clear the enemy out of the objective
trenches. Here also are the A. M. R's,
employed to protect the flanks of the wave.
When the wave is halted, the A. M. R's must
be available for instant use against any nest
of resistance and must therefore be in the
first line. They are also used in the captured
trench to withstand an enemv's counterattack,
which may develop within five minutes after
its capture.
The Second Line of the First Wave. We
have here the rifle grenadiers who help the
hand grenadiers break up the enemy's resist-
ance and clear the trenches of the enemy.
This is done by fire of rifle grenades from the
second line. Here, also, we have all the rifle-
men of the platoon, whose function it is to
follow up the success of the specialists and
drive the surviving hostile men out of the
trenches with the bayonet.
Third Line of the First Wave. In this line
we have the "trench cleaners" or "moppers-
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1 8 Trench Fighting
up." These are hand grenadiers furnished
by the reinforcing platoon and their function
is to clear the enemy out of the trenches, both
laterally and in depth of the position. The
assaulting column remains above ground and
continues across the position to the objective
line of trenches, which is usually the limit-
ing objective of the attack. The ** trench
cleaners" picket all entrances and exits of
dugouts to allow none of the enemy to come
out after the waves have .passed and fire into
the backs of the assaulting troops.
These three lines compose the first wave,
and we see that the specialists are placed in
the lines- in the order of their duties.
Company Drill Regulations Adopted at Fort
Sheridan, Illinois, R.O.T.C, in Lieu of
No Existing Official Regulations
Company Organization
I . For the purposes of drill and maneuver,
the regiment will be organized as follows:
(a) One training company, as at present
constituted, will form two platoons.
(b) The new organization contemplates
four platoons to the company. When, for
training purposes, a complete company is
aATOON PASSING FROM MANEUVER
TO COMBAT FORMATION
A-RHIEI I HAND GREN. | lAUT.RIftfl |HANP GREW.
\ ' ^? ^ 1
•. \ Jr I
Rt FLYMEN I IRIfjgGRBJl I RIFLEMEN
om rtinfcrcih^
19
20 Trench Fighting
necessary or desirable, companies will be
combined.
2. For a training company of two platoons,
the 2nd in command (sergeant) of the first
platoon is the right guide ; the 2nd in command
of the 2nd platoon is the left guide.
3. The platoons, in line or column, are
arranged as at present.
4. The usual arrangement of a company
for attack is to place two platoons in the ist
wave and two in the 2nd wave. The two pla-
toons in the ist wave are known as the as-
saulting platoons; the two in the 2nd wave, as
the reinforcing platoons. The normal dis-
tance between the assaulting and reinforcing
platoon is about 65 yards. Sometimes three
platoons are placed in the ist wave and one
in the 2nd wave.
5. The first wave is followed, at a distance
of 15 yards, by the hand grenadiers of the
reinforcing platoon, who are sent forward
by the commander of the reinforcing platoon
to act as trench cleaners or moppers-up for the
first wave. Fifty yards behind these is the
remainder of the reinforcing platoon. There
are no ** moppers-up" for the reinforcing
platoon.
,6. The captain of a company has four
liaison agents constantly with him, one being
Battle Formations 21
furnished from and for each platoon. They
march immediately in rear of the captain. '
7. The post of the captain is between the
1st and 2nd waves.
Platoon Organization
I. The composition of a platoon is as
follows :
I Lieutenant (ist and 4th platoons under
1st Lieutenants).
(2nd and 3rd platoons under
2nd Lieutenants).
I Sergeant (2nd in command, assistant
to platoon leader).
First Section — (Grenadiers).
1 Sergeant — Section Sergeant.
2 Corporals and 12 Privates — Hand
Grenadiers.
1 Corporal and 6 Privates — Rifle
Grenadiers.
Second Section — (Riflemen).
2 Corporals and 10 Privates — Riflemen.
Third Section — (Riflemen).
2 Corporals and 10 Privates — Riflemen.
Fourth Section — (Automatic Rifle).
I Sergeant — Charge of i gun crew.
I Corporal — Charge of i gun crew.
22 Trench Fighting
3 Privates, ist Class — Gunners — i in
charge of each .gun and i in reserve.
6 Privates — Ammunition Carriers.
2. All platoons are alike in numbers, or-
ganization, and armament.
3. When the platoon is in column of squads
or in line, the post of the platoon leader is as
at present. When in line of section columns
he is normally in front of the right center
section, although he may be in front of some
other section if he sees fit. In attack forma-
tion he is in the center of his platoon between
his first and second lines.
4. When the platoon is in line, the post of
the 2nd in command is in rear of the center of
his platoon. In line of section columns he is
in front of the 3rd section. In attack forma-
tion he is in rear of the right center of the
second line.
Platoon Movements
I.
I. The 1st Section (Grenadier Section)
contains 15 rifle grenadiers (including the
section sergeant) and 7 hand grenadiers.
When in column of squads, the rifle grenadiers
march as a squad, in rear of the hand grena-
Battle Formations 23
diers. The ist Section constitutes 3 squads,
each having the No. 3 in the rear rank as a
blank file. The Section Sergeant marches
abreast of the rear rank of the 2nd squad of
his section. Line is formed by executing
squads right or left.
2. The 2nd Section (Riflemen Section)
contains 10 privates and 2 corporals. One
corporal has charge of 7 men, the other of 3
men. When in column of squads, the section
forms one complete squad and the front rank
of another. Corporals are nimiber four.
To form line at the command ** Squads left
(right),'* the complete squad executes ** Squad
left"; of the half squad the Nos. 3 and 4
execute *'Twos left**; the Nos. i and 2 like-
wise execute **Twos left,** thus placing them-
selves in rear of Nos. 3 and 4. To form
column from line at the command ** Squads
right,** the Nos. 3 and 4 of the incomplete
squad move forward two paces, execute **Twos
right,** and place themselves in rear of Nos.
3 and 4 of the preceding squad; Nos. i and 2
move forward two paces, execute "twos
right,** and place themselves in rear of Nos.
I and 2 of the preceding squad:
3. The personnel, numbers and move-
ments of the 3rd Section are identical with
those of the 2nd.
24 Trench Fighting
4. The 4th Section (Automatic Rifle Sec-
tion) contains i sergeant, I corporal, and 9
privates (total of 11). One complete squad
is formed and 2 privates are left over who
march iii rear of Nos. i and 4 of the squad.
The corporal is No. 4 of the front rank. No.
3, front and rear rank, are the gunners. The
sergeant marches abreast of the rear rank of
the squad in the line of file-closers; when
line is formed, the two men left over form one
additional file on the left (right) of their sec-
tions. In forming for attack formation, the
No. 4 of the two men left over attaches him-
self to the front rank gun crew and goes with
them; the No. i, to the rear rank gun crew.
The sergeant remains with his gun crew if the
guns are separated, or asstunes charge of both
when together.
5. If the training company contains more
men than are necessary to fill the platoons as
indicated above, such additional men will be
carried as riflemen and attached to the second
and third sections of the platoons.
II
I. To form line of section colimms from
line.
The left file of each section moves straight
to the front, followed by the file next on its
Battle Formations 25
right, and this in turn by the other files of the
section. The section sergeants of the ist
and 4th sections place themselves at the head
of their respective sections.
2. To form line of section colimms in
columns of twos or fours.
** Half -squads (squads) right front into
line."
3. To form line from line of section
columns.
''Sections, right front into line.**
4. To form column of squads from line of
section columns.
First form line of section colimins in col-
tmin of squads — then ** Column of squads —
ist (4th) section forward (column right or
left).**
5. To form line of section colimins from
column of squads.
The left file of the leading section moves
straight to the front, followed by the remaining
files of the squad, then by the left file of the
second squad, etc. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th sec-
tions oblique to the right (left) in colimin of
squads to section interval and, when in rear
of their place, form coltunn of files. The
section may thus be marched in echelon, or
line may be formed by halting the leading sec-
tion, or the sections in rear may be double-
26 Trench Fighting
timed to the line established by the leading
section.
6. To form line of section columns to the
flank, command:
"Sections, colxmm left (right).**
"Line of section colimms. **
7. Frequently, for convenience In ma-
neuvering, the platoon leader may, when in
line of section columns, wish to form only two
columns from his four colimms. In such
event he will command:
"Double sections, 1st and 4th sections for-
ward."
One rifle section will follow the first section.
The other rifle section, the 4th section. The
rifle sections in such formation are always in
rear of the specialist sections.
8. Intervals between sections or double
sections are opened and closed by the com-
mand:
To paces extend (close)."
Ill
1. Attack formation is taken up from line
of section colimms only.
2. The attack formation is always in two
lines. The two lines constitute a wave.
3. Hand grenadiers and automatic rifle-
it
Battle Formations 27
men are always in the first line. The rifle-
men and rifle grenadiers are always in the
second line in the assaulting platoon. Rifle
grenadiers may be posted in the center of the
second line, or on either flank, as the platoon
leader directs. Similarly the automatic rifle-
men may be in the center, on either flank, or
divided between center and flank of the first
line, as the platoon leader may direct.
4. The 1st and 2nd lines are separated by
a distance of 20 paces.
5. To pass from line of section coltunns to
attack formation, the platoon leader com-
mands:
**Form for attack at (place). Automatic
rifles to center (left flank) (right flank) (both
flanks) (left and center). Rifle grenadiers to
center (left) (right).''
Only the automatic riflemen and grenadiers
need be designated. The remaining men ac-
commodate themselves to their movements.
At the above command the 2nd and 3rd
sections stand fast until the ist and 4th sec-
tions have cleared their front. They then
move to their places led by the corporal at
the head of their respective sections.
This movement will be executed at first in
quick time; as men become more proficient,
in double time and at a run.
28 Trench Fighting
IV
1. The arrangement of specialists in the
reinforcing platoon differs somewhat from the
assaulting platoon. The hand grenadiers of
the reinforcing platoon are sent forward in
two squads to follow in rear of the 2nd line of
the first wave at a distance of about 15 yards.
The two squads are abreast of each other, the
section sergeant between them.
2. The rifle grenadiers of the reinforcing
platoon are then moved up into the ist line.
3. The riflemen of the reinforcing platoon
remain in the 2nd line.
4. The position of the platoon leader of the
reinforcing platoon is in front of the center of
the 1st line. The position of the 2nd in copi-
mand is the same as in the assaulting platoon.
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DIAGRAM OF PLATOON IN UNIT (C105Z ORDEf^
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COLUMN OF S(iUAD5
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LEGEND
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"k^M^^^^XK^
CHAPTER n
DEVELOPMENT OF A POSITION
FROM AN OPEN WARFARE
BATTLE
General Use of Fortifications. The first
use of fortifications, whether hasty or perma-
nent, is to give shelter against hostile fire.
The more deliberate use of fortifications is
to increase the holding or fighting power of
troops by the proper employment of the
natural defensive features of the ground and
by artificial devices.
Successive Phases of the Organization
Change from Battie Lmes to Trenches of a
Position. During a battle, as we understand
it in open warfare, as soon as the fighting lines
are halted for any reason, every man immedi-
ately begins to dig in for shelter against the
enemy's fire. If the halting of these fighting
lines is more or less permanent these *' skir-
mish holes'* are connected, and we have the
34
Open Warfare 35
beginning of a rude trench. We must re-
member that in a battle troops are disposed in
depth in a series of lines. All these lines dig
for protection in a similar manner, giving the
beginning of several lines of trenches. If the
troops remain for any time in this position,
it is necessary to have routes from the rear to
the front to carry up ammunition and sup-
plies to the different lines. These communi-
cation routes are also dug in, and we have the
beginning of communicating trenches. Soon
the men will begin to seek better protection
against rain, cold, and overhead fire, and build
themselves some kind of shelters. In a
similar manner command posts and supply
depots are established.
In time there is a complete skeleton of a
series of lines of trenches outlining a position.
If the mission of the troops is to remain and
hold the ground, the necessary plan of organi-
zation for the final position will have to be
based upon this skeleton. The purpose of
this new organization, as we have noted, is to
establish the position so that the ground can
be held by fewer troops.
Active and Passive Elements of a Position,
Especially Support Points. The first fire
trench of a position is continuous, but it is
not good practice to man the whole of this line,
36 Trench Fighting
because this would take too many men and
defeat the purpose of the fortifications.
Secondly, a better defense can be established
by garrisoning a series of strong points, or
salients, from which can be obtained flanking
fire. In the first line these are called support
points. The trenches connecting these sup-
port points are retained as such, but are not
usually manned. This curtain trench, so to
speak, is retained for communicating pur-
poses, and to deceive the enemy as to the real
points of defense. A few watchers are left
in it.
The first line, then, is a series of support
points, well defended by men and special
weapons, and at such distances apart as to
support each other.
• Division of Position. The garrison of such
a support point in the first line is a company,
and the captain is responsible for the holding
of this ground. (The platoon, we must re-
member, is a tactical unit.) In dividing the
first line into these active elements the size
of each support point depends upon the im-
portance of the ground or of the tactical
situation.
Similar natural strong points are also lo-
cated in the second line. They will be fewer
and farther apart in this line than in the first
37
38 Trench Fighting
line, which is exposed to hostile attacks.
These points in the second line are connected
with the support points and together the
group is called a center of resistance. The
command of such a center of resistance, in-
cluding one or two support points in the
front line, falls to a battalion commander with
his unit. For example, the area of a center of
resistance under the command of a Bn. C. O.
will include, say, two support points in the
first line with a company in each, and the
strong point in the second line with two com-
panies.
In the third line, also, natural strong points
are located and organized for defense. The
command of this strong point, including, let
us say, two centers of resistance, falls to a
colonel with his regiment. Such an area is
called a sector, or a sub-sector. If it is a sub-
sector two such constitute a sector in com-
mand of a brigadier-general.
Different Lines of a Sector. We have now
arrived .automatically at the fact that each
sector is composed of a series of lines in depth,
each defended in strong points.
The first line is termed the line of resistance,
as the first defense is made against the enemy's
attacks in the support points of this line.
The second, or main line of resistance, is
Comunicatin^ DKcK
Mo Ma.nV Land
39
40 Trench Fighting
called the support line. In the strong points
of the centers of resistance are the reserves
and the headquarters of the battalion com-
manders.
The third line is called the covering line of
the artillery, because it defends the batteries
distributed behind it. It also contains the
reserve troops of the sector, a battalion usu-
ally holding each strong point.- Here are es-
tablished the headquarters of the colonel and
the different central depots of the sector.
The above three lines constitute one posi-
tion. There may be several positions in
depth at distances of three miles or more
apart. Usually there are two positions and
sometimes three. It is said that the Ger-
mans have as many as six positions in depth
in places. The first position only, of course,
is permanently occupied.
Principles of the Organization
Advantages of the Continuous Trench.
The continuous or curtain trench between
support points must not be eliminated for
several reasons. The trench will deceive the
enemy as to the location of the elements of
support points. If this trench were absent
the enemy could easily locate these, and sub-
i
j\
1
TfAUSof
n^fjldntf
Types of CommunlcMt'ma Trenches
J'
41
42 Trench Fighting
ject them to concentrated artillery fire. The
position cannot be hidden from airplane ob-
servation but the essential elements, such as
emplacements, dugouts, etc., must be con-
cealed.
The curtain' trench serves for communicat-
ing purposes for lateral movements of troops
and for liaison between neighboring units.
The absence of the curtain trench would
leave breaches in the line where in a general
attack units could concentrate and break
through. In such a general attack the cur-
tain trench is occupied and defended by the
reserves. Barbed wire, of course, protects
the entire front.
These trenches also serve, if necessary, as
cover for reserves acting as reinforcements
to the adjacent support points, as there is
only sufficient shelter in a support point for
its own permanent garrison.
Lastly they may serve as trenches of de-
parture in the offensive.
Importance of Flanking Fire. It is pos-
sible to have the support points at intervals
because flanking fire from these will command
all ground in front. The importance of
flanking fire cannot be overestimated. Every-
thing must be done to obtain it.
Sometimes it is impossible to obtain flanking
Typto/xGooJi LnUnjIement in/ront of
21 Pir'mg Line V(ithout S^licnis
To ObUin Flamfclng Fire
43
44 Trench Fighting
fire because of lack of salients. If this is true
the trace of the first line trench must be recti-
fied to give flanking fire along the line as per
diagram.
When neither of these two methods is
possible small combat posts with machine
guns are located in advance of the line to
obtain flanking fire.
The machine gun is the best weapon for
flanking fire. Several emplacements are con-
structed for each machine gun, but during
the bombardment it is kept under cover in
a dugout. When the attack develops the
machine gun is quickly set up in the proper
emplacement. If kept in a permanent em-
placement the enemy will soon locate it and
put it out of business by artillery fire.
If no implacements are possible or if they
are destroyed machine guns are operated on
open ground or in shell holes.
Field of Fire. With proper flanking fire
a line can be defended with a shorter field of
fire than otherwise. A hundred yards of
field of fire is sufficient with good flanking
fire and accessory defenses, such as barbed
wire, etc.
Location of Trenches. Lines of trenches
which are the result of a battle are not always
located in the most logical positions. They
DM5I0N or POSITION INTO COMrARTMCNTS
POR INTERIOR DEflNOE
^h«ul«d 5€ction represents one comparfmenf.
Arrows show directions of defensive fire.
XXXXX repre^ent^ borbed wire enton^lemeHt's.
45
46 Trench Fighting
are the results of the exigencies of the battle.
However, it is well to know the best locations
for the trenches of a position under different
conditions in order to place them there when
possible.
In flat country, of course, it makes no differ-
ence where th^ trenches are located. On the
profile of a hill, however, the question is
where to locate the first and where to locate
the second line. Let us consider Figure 15.
Point A is out of the question a& you have no
view of the enemy. At B you can observe
the enemy's line and he can observe yours.
However, the enemy can shell you at this
point and observe the results. At C the same
conditions obtain as at B, except there is a
dead angle directly in front. At D you can-
not observe the enemy nor can the enemy
observe your line. From these considerations
we see that the proper location for the first
line will be at B as you must be able to observe
the enemy and all the ground in front. Your
second line should be located at D where the
enemy cannot observe and bombard your
position. At D the line can be made as elab-
orate as you have time, men, and material,
because you are more or less unmolested by
the enemy's fire and observation.
The reverse slope is of the very greatest
open Warfare 47
importance in organizing a position. Move-
ments of troops and supplies can be easily
accomplished here under cover. Deep dug-
outs can be constructed with the least work.
But the greatest advantage lies during the
bombardment. The enemy is not able to
observe the accuracy of his fire on the reverse
slope so that the elements in this line are left
more or less intact. For this reason the line
on the reverse slope becomes the most impor-
tant line of resistance against the enemy's
attacks. The Germans habitually organize
their reverse slopes very strongly.
Division of tlie Position into Defensive
Compartments. We have already spoken
of the sector in depth by successive lines.
In the same way it is necessary to organize
the positions for lateral defense. A support
point may be captured by the enemy and from
this ground he can launch a flanking attack
on the adjacent part of the position. It is
necessary that there should be an established
defense against such an attack, and for this
purpose each sector is divided into compart-
ments, so to speak, with all-around defense.
Boyaux or communicating trenches on the
flanks of these compartments are organized
as firing lines with barbed wire belts running
parallel and with machine guns disposed for
48 Trench Fighting
flanking fire. We have then each sector cut
up into compartments capable of independent
resistance in all directions, if the surrounding
compartments are captured by the enemy.
Such a compartment also has the advantage
of serving as a base for a counterattack against
an adjoining one that has fallen into the
hands of the enemy.
In a sector the responsibility of such lateral
defenses falls especially upon the colonel.
Concealment. All of the essential ele-
ments of a position, emplacements, dugouts,
etc., are more or less without value if they can
be seen by the enemy and subjected to heavy
artillery fire. Everything that is possible
must be constructed without the observation
of the enemy.
It is important to hide your works by mak-
ing them fit in with the color scheme and
shape of the surrounding ground. False or
dtunmy trenches, emplacements, shelters,
etc., are constructed to cause the enemy to
waste his ammunition. The art of camouflage
is also extensively employed for this purpose
against both ground and aerial observation.
Elements of the Organization
Plan of Organization. We have seen that
open Warfare 49
the first outline of the trenches left as a con-
sequence of the battle must be modified in
detail to obtain better protection and organ-
ization. The complete plan of reorganization
is laid down by the commander of the sector
and is called the Plan of Organization.
This plan is drawn up as soon as the posi-
tion has a permanent garrison. The Plan
of Organization must be faithfully followed
by all the successive garrisons of the sector.
After its adoption, even the commander of
the sector himself cannot modify the plan
without the consent of the general in charge.
The real value of the position depends upon
the amount of continuous work that has been
done in carrying out the original plan.
Outline of the First Line. As was seen
before, the original trace of the first line was
established as a consequence of the needs of
the battle. In the organization plan, it is
necessary to introduce several modifications
in this trace. The commander responsible for
this change should place himself in the situa-
tion of the enemy and consider an attack upon
his own lines. From this consideration he
will introduce such modifications as will make
this task as difficult as possible.
The responsibility of making this modifica-
tion in the trace of the first line does not
4
50 Trench Fighting
devolve upon the captain in the first line.
As a rule if it were left to him few changes
would be made because of lack of initiative
on his part, or because of fear that if the line
were captured he would be blamed for having
changed it. This task falls upon the bat-
talion commander who is responsible for the
center of resistance, with the consent of the
sector commander. The reason for this is
that the sector commander is the only one of
these officers who knows the subsequent use of
this particular sector, whether for defensive
or offensive purposes. If for defensive pur-
poses the line may be carried as close to the
enemy's line as possible. If the sector is
being organized for an offensive there must
be enough distance between to keep his own
line out of the zone of artillery dispersion
when the target is the enemy's line.
Cover Trench. In general all fire trenches
have a second trench behind, called the
doubling or cover trench. The use of the
cover trench is not primarily for defensive
purposes. It has special uses.
The majority of the troops in the first line
are kept in the cover trench in shelters lo-
cated there. The first line is habitually
manned by only a sufficient number of men
to assure observation and security. The rest
51
52 Trench Fighting
of thQ garrison remains in the shelters of the
cover trench to get as much rest as possible.
It is very important that comfortable shel-
ters be located in the doubling trench. If
troops are exposed to the elements and bom-
bardment their value decreases very rapidly.
If the shelling becomes too severe the men in
the first line retire to the shelters of the cover
trench until the attack develops.
Another use of the cover trench in the de-
fensive is to keep here a necessary number of
troops for reinforcing the first line when neces-
sary and for counterattack against the same
if it is taken. This latter use establishes the
distance between the two lines, which is from
thirty to forty yards, so that hand grenades
can be thrown from the cover trench into the
first line.
Behind each support point there is usually
a lateral communicating ditch called the cir ■
culating ditch which should not be confused
with the cover trench.
Advance Posts. In front of the firing line
certain advance posts are established. There
are three kinds of these : listening, observation,
and combat posts.
The listening post is not under the control
of the commander of the support point but
is in the service of the Intelligence Officer.
open Warfare
53
It IS furnished with a microphone for the pur-
pose of picking up enemy's telephone messages
in the hostile line.
The observation post belongs to the sectcr
and is used for purposes of observation and
security.
(MRJAim POST
The combat post is established to obtain
flanking fire along the barbed wire entangle-
ments or it is used as a bombing post when
in close proximity to the enemy's trenches.
Sometimes a series of combat posts are
connected and a new trench established in
54 Trench Fighting
front of the firing line. This is called the
observation line. It is best to avoid this prac-
tice as there is always the question whether to
hold or abandon this line when the enemy's
attack develops. In either case there are
grave disadvantages. If it is held you have a
weak line. If you abandon it the enemy can
use it for shelter.
Advance posts give excellent service if not
too niunerous. If there are many of them
they are a temptation for hostile raids.
Dimensions of Trenches. These can be
found in text books on the subject. The
general idea is that they are to be narrow and
deep to prevent observation and to present a
small target for high-angle fire.
Loopholes. Loopholes are used in the or-
dinary life of the trenches for observation and
sniping purposes; but against the real attack
of the enemy the firing is done over the parapet.
If it is necessary to meet the enemy in hand to
hand combat the men climb up on the parapet.
Traverses. Traverses are used to localize
the effect of shell or grenade explosions, and
to prevent enfilade fire.
They are sometimes used in long stretches
of boyaux or communicating ditches as em-
placements for A. M. R. to enfilade the same
if the enemy penetrates the position.
Open Warfare 55
Transversal Lines. Transversal lines are
usually constructed between the first and
the second lines and between the second and
the third lines. They are short stretches of
trenches parallel to the front for. special pur-
poses : such as disposing of machine guns and
trench mortars in depth; bombing posts for
rifle and hand grenadiers; depots and observa-
tion posts.
Command posts are usually located in such
small transversal trenches, a little in rear of
the lines they are in command of. For in-
stance, the captain in charge of a support
point might be located in a transversal just
in rear of the cover trench.
Support Trenches. The second or support
line is established at such a distance that the
first line is covered by its fire if the latter is
captured.
Also the second line should be placed so
that it will be out of the zone of dispersion
if the first line is the artillery target either of
your own or of hostile fire. This places the
distance between the two lines at from 150
to 400 yards. At this distance also rifle
grenade fire can be used in conjunction with
an artillery preparation for a counterattack
against the first line.
The organization of the second line is the
56 Trench Fighting
same as that of the first; in other words, the
same principles and elements of defense are
used: making employment of barbed wire,
flanking fire, cover trenches, etc.
The second line is the main line of resistance
and must be made as nearly impregnable as
possible. For this purpose it must be thor-
oughly and completely organized.
In the support line are the reserves of the
C. of R. and for their proper shelter they
should have very deep dugouts, and all the
requisites for the comfort and rest of the
troops.
Redoubts. Behind the support line is a
redoubt containing the command post of the
battalion commander. It is the last strong
point of the center of resistance and is organ-
ized for an all-around defense.
The line of redoubts is the last line of serious
resistance. If the enemy penetrates this line
a breach has been made in the position at this
point.
Boyaux and Communicating Ditches. As
we have said before trenches for communicat-
ing purposes must be dug both in depth and
laterally. We shall call those from front to
rear boyaux, and those running laterally com-
municating ditches.
The number of boyaux is not fixed as that of
Open Warfare 57
the different lines. There must be at least
one between each support point and its center
of resistance.
Usually boyaux are used for movements in
both directions. Often certain boyaux are
designated for entrance only and others for
evacuation. The numbers of the latter are
usually less than the former.
In an attack all boyaux are used for move-
ments from rear to front.
All movements to the rear while reinforce-
ments are being brought up must be executed
in the open ground, exceptions being made in
the case of wounded.
Boyaux are important for the movement of
supplies and ammunition, but above all they
are essential for reinforcements during battle.
The greater part of the troops in a sector is
held in reserve in the second and third lines.
This disposition is only possible if you have
good boyaux to the front lines.
All boyaux and communicating ditches are
narrow and deep. Boyaux are wider between
the second and third line than they are be-
tween the first and second. Evacuation
boyaux are usually wider than others. The
trace of a boyau must be such as to prevent
enfilade fire.
At intervals of about ten yards turnouts large
58 Trench Fighting
enough for a stretcher are constructed in the
side of the boyaux for passage of troops in
different directions. Boyaux are named and
signs are put up similar to those for streets in
a city. The same name of a boyau must be
kept from the third lines to the first.
At branches of the main boyaux they are
dug a little deeper to avoid mistakes of identi-
fication.
As was said before certain boyaux are organ-
ized for defense.
It may be said here that supplies carried up
at night are usually brought along on top of
the ground close to the boyaux. This gives
freer movement and the carriers are close to
the cover of the trench if needed.
Accessory Defense. Of all the accessory
defenses such as barricades, abatis, trous-de-
loup, etc., the most important by far is barbed
wire, which is almost exclusively used for ob-
stacles.
Barbed wire should be placed from twenty
to fifty yards in front of the first line. At
this distance shelling of the barbed wire belts
will do very little damage to the first line.
The wire entanglements must be under fire
of the first line.
The trace of the wire belt is not necessarily
parallel to that of the firing line, but shotdd be
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59
6o Trench Fighting
so placed as to obtain flanking fire along the
wire belts. Good entanglements are con-
structed in double belts, the distance between
the two belts being from ten to twenty yards,
the farthest belt, of course, being constructed
first.
Breaches must be left through the wire en-
tanglements for the passage of patrols, friendly
raiding parties, etc. Portable sections of
barbed wire are used to close these passages
when necessary.
All accessory defenses must be concealed
so they cannot be easily observed and de-
stroyed by the enemy.
Command Post. A command post, in the
full sense of the word, contains the head-
quarters of the leader of a division of a
sector.
The command post must first of all be a
good observation post, after which the other
requisites are installed. When the observa-
tion post has been constructed the following
are built: a room for the headquarters staff
to work and to sleep in, a telephone central,
dugout for liaison group, and a depot.
The preceding discussion is a development
of a position from battle conditions. On the
other hand if you are unmolested by ' the
Open Warfare 6i
enemy the order of organizing a position
would be as follows:
(i) Construct the emplacement to obtain
flanking fire.
(2) Construct barbed wire entanglements.
(3) Observatory and dugouts.
(4) Trenches.
CHAPTER in
SECTOR AND TRENCH DUTIES
I. Plan of Defense
Definition. The Plan of Defense contains
all the different duties necessary to make a
proper defense of the position. The execu-
tion of these duties is the execution of the
Plan of Defense, which follows logically and
depends directly upon the Plan of Organi-
zation.
Principles of the Plan of Defense, (a) The
most important principle of organization
of a position is the disposition of troops in
depth. It is necessary to have plenty of sup-
port and reserve units disposed^ne behind the
other. Only one-sixth to one-third of a
garrison in the support point of the first line
remains in the trenches for the purpose of ob-
servation and security. The rest remain in
the rear as a reserve for reinforcements or
counterattacks.
(b) Each trench, each nest of resistance,
62
Sector and Trench Duties 63
each area of the ground, must have a responsi-
ble leader. The garrison of any such area
must never leave the ground allotted to its
defense under any conditions of battle.
The defense must be carried out by this garri-
son on the lines originally laid out. A leader
is not allowed to fall back on troops in his
rear or to take up a better position. The
troops in depth are placed there for the
purpose of reinforcements for the lines in
front.
(c) Each part of a position that is lost to the
enemy must be immediately retaken by a
counterattack carried out by troops held in
reserve. The first line is retaken by reserve
troops in the support line, and similarly, if
the support line is lost, it must be retaken by
reserve troops held in the third line. If all
three lines are captured, an attempt must be
made to retake the third line by the reserve
troops of the sector.
Form of Plan of Defense. In each division
of the position from front to rear there must
be a Plan of Defense. This plan always con-
tains the five following elements:
1. Directions of the probable attacks.
2. Defense of the first line, or line of re-
sistance.
The outline of the first line.
64 Trench Fighting
Location and mission of the troops in the
first line.
Employment of machine guns.
3. Counterattacks.
Units which are used for the purpose.
Directions or trenches to be used in the
counterattack.
Depots of grenades and sandbags for the
counterattack.
4. Artillery support.
Composition of this artillery.
Establishing of the front of barrage.
Infantry-artillery liaison.
5. Liaisons and supply during the hostile
avXacic*
Details of Trench Duty
Guard Duties (Security), Security is ob-
tained by the use of sentinels and patrols.
Sentinels must not be confused with ob-
servers, watchers, or snipers. Observers be-
long to the information service of the sector
and are not on duty at night. Snipers operate
only in the daytime. The watchers of the
different lines give the alarm in case oi an
attack, and are on duty both day and night.
Sentinels are posted in the first line or in
advanced posts. Their work and number will
Sector and Trench Duties 65
conditions of th!' ^ ^'^^^^ ^" "P°" the
front. ^ "^'"^ entanglements out in
ex^pttu^oT^riiTr • ^^^' '-
the first linP iV • ^'^^ ^^^ t'^ench of
-ntinels are poSeT? ttt'^l^ °"'^ ^'^^"^^
Man's LanH" u , ^* ^" P^""*^ of "No
W a maS^„ "^^ be observed. This will al-
Inth^f^"?. '"""'^^^ °f "^en to rest.
reliefs wT^ ^""^^ *^^ '""t^'^^'^ ^^^-k in tVee
The tn^J^der:/ thT ^^' '"*^' '^^^ ^'^^
trench h^„ ^^ garrison m the cover
Patrofs' andT"; '" ."""'"'^'^ ^°^ ^°^k, for
tinels s'h^, ,^ u ^"™''^ '^PP'y parties. Sen-
Pa^a^ef :^l^!rh*'t "^^ ^^^*^"^ ^ *^«
naonaent's nolic: "'' "''^ '' ^^^ ^* ^
obs^ve ?i; '^\^^"t^"els use a periscope or
a sendnT'r^, T IP'^^'^'*"** ^* '^^g'^t, when
A«: H?^, t, ^,"^* "'"'^'■^^ °^^^ the parapet
As httle challenging as possible is done S
then only m a very low tone. "^
for se^n'!^'^.^**'''^^ ^^« the best mean,
lor security against attack. Every nioK!
the commanders of the support points or f ^
centers of resistance send out patrols in ^^^
of the firing hne. The strength of a paTj'^
66 Trench Fighting
must be sufficient to carry back a wounded
man, i. e., the number should be five, six, or
more. The success of a patrol depends en-
tirely upon the leader. He must be clever,
daring, and observant, and the rest of the
patrol is simply his bodyguard. He himself
must observe the objective of the mission of
the patrol.
Patrols should never be sent out without
definite orders as to their mission. Such may
be, for example, a reconnaissance of the ene-
my's lines, to discover if the enemy has cut
passages in his wire belt preparatory to an
attack, to examine their own wire entangle-
ments, etc.
The route of the patrol must be exactly
determined; also the hour of departure and
return designated. Word is passed along the
line of sentinels that a patrol is out in front
with the necessary information about the
same. The preparation for a night patrol
must be made during daylight.
Officer of the Watch. In the firing line
the company commander arranges a roster of
his officers for duty as officer of the watch.
Also in each platoon the platoon commander
will detail a N. C. O. of the watch. The
officer of the watch is responsible for the duties
of observation and security, and is especially
Sector and Trench Duties 67
responsible for the giving of the alarm in case
of an attack and consequently for the calling
of the artillery barrage by use of rockets,
signals, etc.
Standing to Arms. It is of the greatest
importance that the troops in the first line
are thoroughly trained in taking their posi-
tions when the alarm is given as quickly as
possible, without confusion. The alarm is
often given for practice in order to ascertain
the amount of time it will take the men to
reach their places in the firing line.
The command "Stand to** is usually given
one hour before daylight and one hour before
dark. At this time the company commanders
arrange for inspection of arms, ammunition,
and equipment by the platoon commanders.
Observers' Duties. Every effort should be
made to obtain information of the enemy, his
trenches, and his wire entanglements. Any
alteration in the enemy's lines must immedi-
ately be reported. The importance of for-
warding such information must be impressed
upon all ranks. This duty is carried out by
observers.
All men of the company are used as sen-
tinels in the first line or as watchers in other
lines, but not all are observers. Men who are
to act as observers receive special training.
68 Trench Fighting
A man to become an observer must have a
special capacity for this task.
Each platoon should have at least six such
observers, enough for proper reliefs.
The observers are placed:
1 . In each company the observers are dis-
tributed in a number of observation posts pro-
perly camouflaged so as not to be discovered
by the enemy. These posts may be in advance
of the firing line, in the firing line, or at any
point within the position that has a wide view
of the front. The observers employ periscopes
or field glasses. Everything of note that is
observed is recorded and from these data the
captain makes out his daily observation
report.
2. Also in the sector there are 2 or 3 ob-
servatories from which the information is
turned in directly to the colonel. These
posts must be properly concealed and pro-
tected. In each one of these we find the
following :
(a) Regulations posted that give the per-
sonnel, tour of duty, sector of observation,
direction to special points of interest, and
certain precautionary measures.
(6) Specially prepared blank forms upon
which to record information gained by ob-
servation:.
Sector and Trench Duties 69
(c) Field glasses, maps and sketches, and
panoramic views of the ground in front, both
visible and invisible from the observation
post$.
(d) A telephone connecting the post with
the nearest command post (center of resist-
ance or sector).
The observers in these posts are directly
under command of the intelligence officers
of the regiment and are of a special personnel.
They must be thoroughly familiar with the
regulations of the posts, maps, panorama, etc.
The intelligence officer collects and co-
ordinates all information gathered in the
sector. Every morning he turns in a consoli-
dated report made up from the information
in the captains* daily reports and from the
records of the sector observ^atories. (In
order to avoid confusion of the different daily
reports these information records are kept on
two different colored blanks, red and blue
alternating each day.)
The report of the intelligence officer is
signed by the colonel and sent on to the bri-
gade headquarters. From the data of his
complete report the intelligence officer very
often must verify certain information by the
use of patrols. For this purpose he makes a
request upon the colonel for special patrols.
70 Trench Fighting
Information is gathered from both airplanes
and ground observatories. From ground
observatories it is attempted to obtain the
following data;
1. To ascertain the intentions of the
enemy.
2. To property prosecute attrition of the
enemy's works.
Attrition. By the word attrition in fighting
is meant the gradual destruction of the ene-
my*s morale and strength, and demolition,
little by little, of the enemy's position.
Trench warfare is not a rest or simply a time
for guard duty. It is a phase of the battle in
which you must do as much damage to the
enemy as possible.
This work will also keep up the offensive
spirit. For this purpose different means are
used:
(a) Sniping: Each company in the first
line uses its best shots as snipers. A sniper
must be a good observer and he must depend
upon his keen eye for evidences of the enemy,
such as smoke of cigarette or the glint of a
bayonet, giving proof of the presence of an
enemy. Especially during hostile shelling
will a too curious enemy come to his loopholes
to observe the effect of the same. This is the
sniper's chance.
Sector and Trench Duties 71
In each center of resistance tKig snipers are
placed iinder the command of a sniping officer.
He makes the rounds of the snipers* posts
once or twice a day, and submits a daily re-
port containing known casualties of the enemy,
location of the number of snipers* posts,
telescope rifles, fixed rifles, and rifle batteries.
(b) Infantry Weapons: Besides sniping,
all the other infantry weapons are used to
assist attrition of the enemy. Hand and
rifle grenades are thrown on special points of
the hostile line. A battery of hand or rifle
grenadiers properly disposed can very often
carry out a concentrated surprise fire on an
enemy's, salient or advanced post. Auto-
matic and machine guns are always used for
this purpose and especially at night. They
are trained on supply routes, road junctions,
etc., and by use of sudden bursts of fire at
irregular intervals they will compel the
enemy's supply parties to continue their
transportation in the boyaux instead of on
the open ground.
The use of indirect machine gun fire is very
depressing to the enemy. Such judicious
employment of machine guns is sometimes
more effective than severe artillery shelling.
The 37 m.m. gun, which is also an infantry
weapon, is used principally against hostile
72 Trench Fighting
machine gun emplacements. The location of
this gun must be constantly changed.
(c) Use of Artillery Weapons: Besides
furnishing barrage fire against hostile attacks,
the artillery can be called upon for surprise
fire on working parties, harassing fire during
the night against supply parties and their
routes, and also for reply fire against hostile
shelling.
Trench mortars and other engines keep the
enemy as uncomfortable as possible at all
times.
(d) Fighting Patrols and Raids: Fighting
patrols and raids are used with the express
purpose of causing loss and damage to the
enemy. This is accomplished by engaging
the enemy's patrol and working parties or by
raiding his saps, listening posts, or trenches.
Such operations must not, however, degener-
ate into frivolous local fighting, causing loss of
men and waste of artillery ammunition.
Work. Daily trench work consists ot (i)
maintenance and (2) new construction.
(a) Maintenance: The daily work of
maintaining the elements of the position is
considerable, and its importance often escapes
those responsible for the same. They are:
Repair of parapets, boyaux, and shelters
damaged by bombardment, water, or frost.
Sector and Trench Duties 73
■--«
Replacing or completing accessory defenses,
revetments, ammunition recesses, emplace-
ment of machine guns, observation posts,
depots, etc.
Cleaning and Draining of Trenches and
Boyaux: The garrison of each area is re-
sponsible for their own maintenance work,
which is done usually during daylight hours.
Sometimes during severe bombardments this
repair and maintenance work becomes too
great for the garrison and workmen have to
be called in to help.
(b) New Construction: New elen\ents of
the position are constructed in carrying out
the Plan of Organization. These are usually
carried out at .night. This work is carried
out by troops in the doubling trench, the sup-
port line, or detachments of workmen from
the reserve of the sector. There may also
be special parties from the headquarters de-
tachment of pioneers or of the engineer bat-
talion of the brigade.
For all these special works the personnel
for whom they are built must be present
during the construction to furnish necessary
information and for inspection. A machine
gun crew helps in building its emplacement;
the intelligence officer directs the construc-
tion of his observatories. The medical officer
74 Trench Fighting
i& present during the work on the medical aid
station; the telephone officer superintends the
establishment of his telephone exchange, etc.
The battalion commander is responsible for
all the work done in his center of resistance,
and in conjunction with the sector leader
draws up a time-table for the work.
All this work must be continued by each
succeeding relief. When a new unit takes its
turn in the trenches the orders and plans of
new works are turned over to its commander.
Arms, Equipment, and Ammunition. Full
equipment will always be worn in the firing
trench, except the haversack, water bottle, and
entrenching tool. In the support and reserve
trenches the equipment to be worn is subject
to the will of the sector commander. Every
man will always carry a gas mask in any part
of the position and even as far to the rear as
ten miles.
The men in the firing line and in the doubling
trenches will at all times be in possession of
their rifles and bayonets. The rifles of men
in the support and reserve trenches may be
kept in protected racks in the same shelter
as the men.
All rifles must be kept scrupulously clean
at all times.
Ammunition is protected from bad weather
Sector and Trench Duties 75
by being placed in boxes located in the sides
of the trenches.
Ten to twenty hand grenades are placed in
a sandbag. These are usually kept at the
depot and carried in these quantities for the
supply of the fire trench in combat. One or
two of such sandbags are kept at a bombing
post.
Special care must be taken to keep rockets
in good condition. Supplies are kept in the
fire line (platoon leaders* posts, observations)
and at points in the rear (in the observatories
or different command posts or in the obser-
vation posts of the information service).
Depots and Supply, (a) Depots: — There
should be one general depot in each area lo-
cated near the command post of the chief of
area. However, in order to facilitate work
in the first line the platoon leaders may estab-
lish near their post a small depot of tools and
material being used for the time being. The
importance of the depot depends upon the
area it is to supply. For example, the depot
of the garrison of a support point in the first
line would contain :
20,000 cartridges
1 ,000 hand grenades
400 rifle grenades
76 Trench Fighting
lOO each — signal and illuminating
rockets
60 to 70 gas masks
100 shovels
100 picks
Sandbags, planks, barbed wire, etc.
The depot at the center of resistance con-
tains the same articles but in greater number,
also telephone wire, blankets, and three days'
rations of food.
The main depot of the position, however,
is the one near the command post of the leader
of the sector. It is divided into three parts :
1. Ammunition and rocket signals (Ord-
nance Service).
2. Material of every sort (Engineer Ser-
vice).
3. Food and clothing (Quartermaster
Service).
The different services in the rear of the posi-
tion maintain the supplies of the sector depot.
The amount of ammunition to be carried is
fixed by orders from the general and this
amount must be strictly maintained.
(b) Requests for Supplies: Each morning
the chiefs of areas send in a request for ma-
terial required for the next night's work.
All these requests in a sector are grouped by
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78 Trench Fighting
a staflf officer under the heads of the three
different services. Along with each request
must go the information showing necessity
for same. Emergency requests are made by
telephone. The officer making request for
material must be on hand to receive and check
the same upon delivery.
(c) Supply Parties: The supply of the
depot is usually made with special detach-
ments taken from the suport or reserve com-
panies. If it is necessary to take men from
the front trenches for this purpose, no more
than io% can be taken away from these
trenches at the same time. Complete imits
will be used as supply parties with their
leader if possible. Upon each battalion in a
C. of R. and upon each regimental reserve
falls part of the responsibility of distributing
suppUes in the rear of the sector. The
unloading or rendezvous points are disposed
along what is called the supply line, usually
on a road, path, ravine, behind a hill, etc.
Supply parties sent out at night to these
points make as little noise as possible. They
return along a well-picketed path, usually
running along one of the central boyaux.
Transportation is thus carried in the open
ground as far as possible, usually to the sup-
port line.
Sector and Trench Duties 79
When proper protection is possible, pack
trains are used to carry supplies right through
the distributing point and up to the depots of
the sector.
(d) Cooking: The battalion kitchens are
located behind the sector in a protected em-
placement. Steps must be taken to insure as
little smoke as possible being seen from them.
At night each platoon sends a ration party to
the kitchen.-
When the regiment has rolling kitchens,
these are brought up part of the way towards
the sector where they meet the ration party.
'Arrangements should be made to always have,
if possible, some hot soup or drink available
for the men between midnight and 4 a. m.
(a) Activities of the Troops : Sector duties
include a considerable amount of work, and
are not only useful from a tactical point of
view, but are also indispensable for the moral
and physical welfare of the troops. Men
without occupation in the trenches stagnate,
grow slack, and think only of the time when
their relief will arrive. Such troops lose their
aggressiveness, so that when the time for the
offensive arrives they have no confidence
and cannot deliver the proper blow.
Good practice to obtain fruitful results is
the employment of. time as follows: In
8o Trench Fighting
each company the captain prepares a daily
schedule of duties in which he allots the differ-
ent services of the strong point: hours of
"standing to" and inspection, of sending ra-
tion and supply parties, time of rest, of clean-
ing arms, equipment, and clothing, time of
trench work, etc. This schedule is communi-
cated daily to each platoon at a regular hour.
(b) Discipline in the Trenches: — Life in the
trenches is not especially dangerous when all
precautions are observed. In the presence of
an alert enemy, every faulty move of disposi-
tion receives its punishment, such as the im-
proper concealment of a movement, poorly
hidden trench work, or useless noise in the
firing line.' Silence is one of the essential rules
of the trench. Silence in a sector in which
troops are properly disciplined enables the
chief to rapidly transmit his orders and the
men to accomplish same .without delay.
Daily Reports: — In each sector, from the
captain up, the different commanders must
furnish a daily report. These are co-or-
dinated in the headquarters of the sector
commander, and afterwards sent to the divi-
sion headquarters.
(a) Telephone Reports: —
Night report. . . .5 a. m. to 7 a. m.
Day report 3 p. m. to 5 p. m.
Sector and Trench Duties 8i
These reports contain the main events of
the time covered. Similar messages are sent
at any time important events occur, such as
heavy shelling, important information of the
enemy, activities in the air, etc.
(b) Written Reports :^The daily morning
written reports contain the following para-
graphs.
1. General aspect of the sector.
2. Important events of the day.
(The events must be reported in detail, for
example: A report of shelling must contain
the details as to the area bombarded, the cali-
ber of the gun used, and the time and direc-
tion of same, etc.)
3. Casualties (wounded, killed, and miss-
ing).
4. Consumption of ammunition.
5. Requests for miscellaneous equipment
and material.
This report is signed by the chiefs of the
area responsible for the information in the
report. Along with this official report is
added a second written report with the fol-
lowing paragraphs:
• I. Request for materials for the night.
2. Observation and information reports
(To the Intelligence Officer).
3. Report of all the work done in the sec-
82 Trench Fighting
tor, including time schedule of the center of
resistance.
•
Use of Infantry and Artillery Weapons , and
Liaison
Machine Guns. The tactical use and loca-
tion of machine guns in the sector depends
upon the following two points:
(a) Machine gun emplacements must be
thoroughly concealed and during the bom-
bardment the M. G. itself is kept under cover
in a dugout. Previous to an attack of the
enemy, his artillery searches the position for
the destruction of the machine guns and their
emplacements, because they are the most
powerful weapons of the defense.
If invisible casemates can be constructed
this practice is good. The best method is,
however, to prepare several emplacements,
properly camouflaged, with a deep dugout
near at hand for the protection of the M. G.
and its crew. This shelter must be located at
such a point that the M. G. can be quickly
brought out to any one of its emplacements
when the attack develops. These emplace-
ments usually are simple pits located in front
of the trench and connected with the dugout
by a gallery. When emplacements are de-
Sector and Trench Duties 83
stroyed by hostile artillery fire, or when they
are not possible, machine guns are pushed into
shell holes or operated on the open ground.
Shell holes out in front give the best service as
emplacements for a daring M. G. crew. The
French success at Verdun depended to a great
extent upon the judicious use of shell holes for
M. G. flanking fire.
(b) Machine guns are not only located in
the first line, but are disposed throughout the
interior of the position. The hostile artillery
may entirely destroy the first line of defenses,
but the proper disposition of machine guns
for flanking fire in the interior lines will pre-
vent the enemy's progress after penetrating
the position. Machine guns are so located
in the position as to cover all the space
between the different lines with flanking
fire. Usually three pickets define the sec-
tor to be covered by any one M. G., one
at the M. G. and two limiting its sector of
fire.
In a sector, J^ of the machine guns are
located in, or near the first line, 3^ is disposed
of in the support line or in the redoubt.
The last J^ is assigned to the third line. In
each line machine guns are under the com-
mand of the chief of the area.
As a general rule, in the first line, automatic
84 Trench Fighting
machine rifles, because of their mobility, are
used instead of machine guns.
Standing orders are, that M. G. crews will
never surrender, but fight to the last man.
Often the tenacity of a M. G. crew has per-
mitted the retaking of an area otherwise lost.
Trench Mortars. In each sector there are
located a certain ntunber of trench mortars.
These are efficient weapons, but must be used
with care, because they will nearly always
draw concentrated artillery fire.
They are used for the destruction of special
points in the enemy's lines that the artillery
cannot reach.
They are employed in the preparation for
an offensive against the enemy's first line,
either for an attack or for a raid. They are
used for reply fire against enemy's trench
mortars.
They participate in establishing barrages.
The efficiency of trench mortars cannot be
over-estimated, but at the same time, great
precaution must be taken in their use and
concealment. The personnel required to serve
the light trench mortars are taken from
the garrison of the sector and belong to
a special headquarters unit, a platoon of
bombardiers.
The large trench mortars are commanded
Sector and Trench Duties 85
by an artillery officer who keeps himself
constantly in liaison with the commander of
the center of resistance. He consults the
latter on the location of his mortars and es-
pecially upon their use. He also reports to
the commander of the center of resistance all
orders he receives from his artillery chief.
This artillery officer always works in co-oper-
ation with the chief of his area, who in turn
gives him all necessary information and help.
Especially does the mortar commander re-
quire help for the supply of ammunition.
Artillery Support in a Sector
Composition of the Artillery Support. The
light artillery of this sector is .not directly
under the command of the Division Com-
mander. The Commanding Officer of the
light artillery, usually a Colonel, in co-opera-
tion with the chief of the sector, divides it
into different parts, assigning one to each of
the centers of resistance. This artillery is
called support artillery. As we shall see
later this practice is usually the same in the
offensive.
The amount of artillery allotted as support
depends upon the tactical situation, in other
words, the activity of the enemy.
86 Trench Fighting
In the Verdun and Champagne offensives
the disposition of light artillery was the same
in principle as that for the defensive, that is
to say, one troop of artillery consisting of 3
batteries was assigned to each infantry
battalion.
The general use of this artillery is :
(a) To protect the infantry with barrage
fire.
(b) Prosecution of destruction of the en-
emy's personnel and works.
Tactical Liaison between Infantry and
Orderly. To carry out its functions, the artil-
lery support must be in perfect liaison with
the infantry, and only wh-en this is done is co-
operation of the two arms possible. This
liaison is obtained by the following five means :
(a) Organization of Leadership: — For the
full co-operation of the infantry and artillery,
the latter is not kept entirel}- independent,
but is divided and assigned to infantry unit.
Each chief of sector and each chief of center of
resistance knows what artillery must support
him if he needs it. The commander of the
artillery support is not exactly under the
command of the infantry chief of area, but he
is at the latter*s disposal for certain calls for
support fire. The proper co-operation of
these two officers will give efficient results.
Sector and Trench Duties 87
(b) Relation between Artillery and Infantry
Commanders: — The best of relations must
be established between the artillery and in-
fantry commanders. Usually, it is not pos-
sible to locate the commanding posts of the
two officers close together. Each has his
area or unit to command and for that purpose
must be located for the proper control of the
same. The support artillery commander,
however, should make frequent visits to the
infantry leader and his area. He should
also send his subordinate artillery officers
into the infantry area to become acquainted
with the first line, the conditions in ** No Man*s
Land,*' the enemy's lines, and to gather all the
information possible from the infantry officers
in the trenches. Everything should be done
to foster good relations between the infantry
and their support artillery and this is best
done by frequent visits of the artillery officers
to the infantry trenches to gather information
for artillery data.
(c) Communication of Orders: — It is neces-
sary that the orders received by the infantry
commander be communicated in whole or in
part to the artillery commander, and vice
versa. For instance, if the chief of area re-
ceives orders to send out a fighting patrol or a
raid, this information is sent to the artillery
88 Trench Fighting
commander, who, in turn, sends back his
plan of action. Similarly, when the artillery
commander expects to carry out special fires
not called for by the infantry, such as de-
structive shelling, harassing fires, etc., he
should first notify his infantry chief of area.
Similarly, any useful information picked up,
either by the infantry or artillery, must be
. communicated to the other. The daily re-
port of the chief of sector and the observation
report of the Intelligence OflBcer are sent direct
to the commander of the artillery support.
Valuable information obtained at the artil-
lery observation posts is sent to the infantry.
(d) Means of Communication: — The prin-
cipal of the organization of the different means
of communication is such as to asstu-e the best
liaison between the two arms. Telephone
lines, searchlight signals, runners, etc., are
established directly between a unit of infantry
and its artillery support. This is to avoid
loss of time and useless interruption between
leaders.
(e) Detachments for Liaison and Observa-
tion: — For more efficient liaison between the
artillery and the infantry, usually a certain
number of artiller5mien are sent from the
group of the artillery support to the infantry
in their area. Usually a special detachment
90 . Trench Fighting
of artillerymen is sent. This detachment is
made up of one officer, chief of the detach-
ment, who is sent to the chief of sector, one
N. C. 0. to each chief of a center of resistance,
the rest as telephone operators and artillery
orderlies. This disposition of artiller5mien
in the infantry area is obligatory for an attack,
but it is so practical that it is now employed
in the sector organization.
The task of these artillery officers or N. C. O.
is: —
(i) To control all means of communication
with the batteries of the artillery support.
(2) To transmit to the artillery the different
calls for fire, and in technical terms to give the
proper data for the laying of the pieces on the
target, and the kind of fire required.
Use of Artillery Support. Different kinds
of fire are executed by the artillery support.
The most important is the barrage.
Barrage. Purpose: — The purpose of a
barrage is to stop a hostile attack before it
can get started, or to hinder enemies* rein-
forcements or reserve troops from coming
forward.
Form: — The barrage is a curtain of fire
let down in **No Man's Land*' as close in
front of yotu- first line as possible without loss
to yoiu: own garrison. This will be about
liJ
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91
92 Trench Fighting
150 or 200 yards to the front, between the two
lines of trenches.
Front of the Barrage: — The barrage has
real value only if it is impassible. This will
be if the density of the fire is so great that
the danger zones of the explosions of the
individual shells overlap each other. The
allotting of one troop of artillery, 12 guns,
for an infantry battalion is quite sufficient
for this purpose if the front of the battalion
does not exceed the average length of from
400 to 600 yards.
Duration: — The barrage is a burst of fire
which lasts from six to ten minutes. At the
beginning the fire is very rapid and towards
the end becomes slower. For instance, for
the first six minutes the fire may be six rounds
per gun and in the last four minutes, say, four
rounds per gun. Successive barrages can be
carried out depending upon the needs of the
infantry.
Calling for the Barrage: — Barrage fire, for
the best results, must open up at the moment
the hostile attack begins. To accomplish
this the call for the barrage must be made by
an observer in the first line. For this reason
every officer in the first line has the authority to
call for the barrage. The barrage is the only fire
that can be called for automatically by signal.
Sector and Trench Duties 93
The kind and color of the rocket signifies
the type of barrage required and the front it is
to cover. In order to avoid mistakes this
rocket signal is repeated from some point
farther to the rear, usually at the observa-
tories of the command post of the center of
resistance, or of the sector. Rocket signals
are repeated until the barrage fire opens.
Confirmation of the barrage is given by
telephone, if possible. However, at the first
signal rocket the artillery is required to open
up the barrage fire as quickly as possible with-
out waiting for confirmation. Barrage fire is
at the disposal of the infantry and cannot be
refused by the commander of the artillery,
whether it is justified or not.
Other Kinds of Artillery Fires. The com-
manders of the center of resistance or of the
sector may call on the artillery support for
other fires besides the barrage, such as:
Reprisal fire on the enemy's lines.
Reply fire to hostile shelling.
Surprise fire on supply attachments or work-
ing parties.
Destruction fire on special points.
All these fires are called for by telephone,
but do not follow automatically like the
barrage fire. The artillery commander, in
such case, can use a certain amount of discre-
94 Trench Fighting
tion whether these fires should be carried out
or not. Last of all there is the counter prepa-
ration fire, which is a strong shelling of the
enemy's position. It is carried out as a
reply to a methodical bombardment of the
enemy preliminary to his offensive. It is
the best means to prevent a hostile attack.
If this fire is well executed the enemy's
assault is ** killed in the egg** as the French
expression has it.
Liaison in the Sector.
(a) Telephone: There are two different
systems of telephones.
First, there is the system connecting the
infantry command posts, support points,
centers of resistance, sector, and division head-
quarters, with the command posts of the artil-
lery protecting the different infantry areas.
These are direct lines between the command
posts and the groups of support artillery.
Also, this system connects the command post
with observatories, depots, medical aid sta-
tions, kitchens, etc.
Secondly, there is the system connecting
the chief of artillery with his subordinate
commanders, the artillery observation posts,
and the artillery dtmips. In this same sys-
tem the artillery command posts are again
connected with the infantry units which they
7e/ep/?or)e Liaison.
95
96 c Trench Fighting
are to support. Special lines are run by the
artillery to the officer and N. C. O. of the
artillery attachment of liaison in the infantry
areas.
Consequently, the liaison between the artil-
lery and the infantry is doubly provided for
in these two systems.
The lines of connection between the infan-
try and the artillery must be separate from
those within the infantry area and those
between the artillery commander and his
subordinate units.
Confidential information should never be
telephoned except in cipher. Conventional
designations are employed to call the different
posts. Strict regulations are maintained as
to who should use the telephone and for what
purposes.
The weak point of a telephone system is that
it is often broken by bombardment or earth-
slides. This can be partially remedied by
constructing as few direct lines as possible,
by burying the wires in the bottom of the
boyaux, and by executing repairs as quickly
as possible.
(b) Wireless and Ground Telegraphy: The
battalions in the first line have ground tele-
graph apparatus connecting them with the
regimental headquarters, and these, in turn.
Sector and Trench Duties 97
can communicate with the general head-
quarters by wireless. This means of com-
munication is only employed when the
telephone cannot be used.
(c) Signalling: It is difficult to establish
signal communication within the sector with-
out being seen by the enemy. However, at
night with flashlights it is possible, especially
in hilly country, to communicate from front
to rear within, the position. The receiving
post should be able to certify received
messages. When practicable, conununi-
cations should be established between the
conmiand post of the center of resistance
and the sector command posts, and from the
latter post to the artillery. This method
of liaison is organized as a duplicating
means or as a temporary substitute for the
telephone.
(d) Rockets: Signal rockets are used to
communicate with the rear. Different forms
and colors of rockets are used to signify differ-
ent things. As we have seen, the most import-
ant use of the rocket is to signal for barrage
'fire. It is often necessary to relay a rocket
signal from a second position in the rear to
make absolutely sure that it reaches the
artillery support.
Signal rockets are also used to communicate
98
Trench Fighting
with aeroplanes, but this means is usually
only employed during an attack.
{e) Rtmners: The liaison established with
runners is best of all, from the point of view
that it usually never fails. During heavy
i**Mfei
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Comn70/7</ ^jf o/Cc^^
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shelling it is the only sure means of com-
munication.
The ordinary messengers or orderlies are
not used as runners. A chain of trained run-
ners is used, located in a little post, shelters,
or shell holes. Each post contains three
runners, their distance being from 150 to 300
yards apart. Each runner is selected from
the unit located near the next post in the chain.
Sector and Trench Duties 99
that is, the one to which he is to run. Often
the divisional cavalry furnish these run-
ners.
The chain of runners is under the command
of a N. C. 0. who is responsible for its efficien-
cy. He has an important task on his hands.
He must assure himself that every runner
knows, not only his two neighboring posts,
but also the general direction of the chain.
He must change disabled runners and fill
gaps in his chain. It becomes his duty to
instill into the runners the importance of their
duty.
(/) Carrier Pigeons : Carrier pigeons are the
last means of communication. They have
been found to give excellent service during
heavy shelling or gas attacks. They do not
fly very easily at night.
Each command post of a center of resistance
in the first line has a pigeon post. These
consist of two reliefs of men, four pigeons,
and the necessary equipment and food. The
pigeons themselves have to be relieved every
few days. The care given to the birds at the
command posts must not be as good as that
at the dovecot in the rear, so that when they
are released they will return immediately to
the latter place, from where the message is
delivered to its proper destination.
loo '-^ . ■ Trench Fighting
Instnictions for Sentinel, Watcher, and
Observer
Sentinel. A sentinel is a soldier placed in
the first line or in an advanced post for the
purpose of security.
The duty of the sentinel is to watch and
guard against hostile attack and to warn the
chief of the platoon of every action of the
enemy. in "No Man's Land."
At night, one sentinel is posted about every
ten yards in the firing trench. During the
day, only a sufficient number are posted to
assure that all parts of the enemy's line and
**No Man's Land" are observed.
Sentinels.are relieved every two hours except
under bad weather conditions when the length
of the tour of duty is reduced. Every sentinel
is regularly posted by a non-commissioned
officer who explains to him his duties and
ascertains that both the sentinel and his
relief are aware of the position of the platoon
commanders and of the sentinels on either
side.
At night, the sentinels must observe over
the parapet. As little challenging as possible
is done and then only in a very low voice.
If the sentinel receives no answer to his
challenge, he shoots, thus giving the alarm.
Sector and Trench Duties ipi
Diuing the day, the sentinel uses a periscope
or observes through a loophole.
The sentinel always has the bayonet fixed
on his rifle, which is loaded and ready for use.
He must be on the alert for every noise, and
for this reason he is not allowed to wear any
ear covering.
Sentinels must be informed of the sending
out of patrols, the approximate hour of de-
parture and return, and the general direction
that the patrol is to follow.
Watcher. Each platoon in the trenches,
from the first line to the rear, must have some
watchers, whose duty it is to give the alarm
both day and night against attack. These
watchers do not observe the enemy as do the
sentinels. They walk in the trench in which
the platoon is placed, especially at the en-
trance of the dugouts or shelters occupied by
this platoon. When they hear a signal of
alarm given by a sentinel or by a messenger,
they wake the platoon as quickly as possible.
In general, they give to the chief of the pla-
toon all the information that they have ob-
tained during the time of their duty. When
an officer or private from another sector enters
the trench, it is the duty of the watchers to
ascertain the purpose of his visit. Watchers
receive special orders to give the a\^pn against
102 Trench Fighting
a gas attack, and must sound the alarm gongs
and bells for this purpose.
The watcher may have his rifle, without
bayonet, resting on the side of the trench at
the entrance of a dugout.
Observer. The observers are specially
trained men whose duty is to observe the
hostile position and to gain all the information
that they can obtain of the enemy's activities.
Each man in the company can be used as a
sentinel or as a watcher, but not all as ob-
servers. To become an observer, a man must
have a special capacity for this task. Each
platoon should have at least six such observ-
ers of proper qualification; good eyesight and
hearing, patient, and a good shot. They are
relieved every two hours. Observation duty
is carried out in daylight.
The observers are of two kinds :
(i) In each company the platoon observers
are distributed in a number of observation
posts especially chosen for this purpose.
These posts are located in the support point
of the company which may be in advance of
the firing line, in the firing line, or in any
point within the position that has a wide view
of the front. These observers employ peri-
scopes or fieJd-glasses. Everything of note
tha<;* ik 'observed is recorded and from this
Sector and Trefich Duties 103
data the captain makes out his daily observa-
tion report.
(2) Also, in the sector, there ^^ai^ special
observatories belonging to the headquarters
of the regiment, imder the command of the
intelligence officer of the sector. There are
usually two or three observatories, from which
the information is transmitted directly to the
colonel. These observatories are furnished
with field-glasses, maps, and telephones.
In general, all observers are required to
obtain all possible information of the enemy,
to record all modifications of the hostile posi-
tion in its works and wire entanglements, all
the movements that they can observe, all
working parties that they can discover. Also,
they receive special orders for the cases they
must report to the commander, as for in-
stance: shelling of the position by artillery
or trench mortars, gas attacks, signal rockets
fired in the front line, activities of the avia-
tion services, whether of friend or enemy.
CHAPTER IV
THE RELIEF
I. Definitions and Principles
There are two kinds of reliefs, General And
Interior reliefs.
A General Relief is one where a large unit,
such as a division or an army corps, is relieved
from its position on the front.
An Interior Relief is one where a small unit,
such as a company, battalion, or regiment, is
relieved from its area by another unit of the
same division within the position.
A general relief takes place for the following
reasons:
In order to send a unit far to the rear to
good billets for complete rest and perhaps for
recruiting.
To withdraw and gather together the units
of a corps, for the purpose of training for an
offensive.
To permit the strategical movement of large
units along the entire front.
104
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105
io6 Trench Fighting
General reliefs should not be made any
oftener than necessary as they hinder me-
thodical and continuous organization of the
defense, observation of the j^nemy, and the
preparation of contemplated offensives. It
is for the express purpose of decreasing the
number of general reliefs that troops are dis-
posed in depth in a position so that continu-
ous defense of the sector will be assured by
means of successive interior reliefs. As an
example of interior reliefs, we will consider a
division holding a part of the front with two
regiments disposed in the first position, one
regiment near the second position in billets,
and the fourth still farther to the rear in com-
plete rest. These regiments, by a system of
interior reliefs, will rotate to equalize the
tours of duty in the first position. Similarly
the battalions of the regiments in the first
position will rotate to give equal divisions of
time to each in the first lines. Asstuning that
a period of six to eight days spent in the front
line is a fair average, and considering the fact
that troops are disposed in depth through-
out the three lines, different combinations of
reliefs are possible. The work of making out
the schedule of reliefs falls upon a division of
the general headquarters.
The sector period is variable with the ac-
The Relief 107
tivity of the enemy and conditions of life in
the trenches. During the German offensive
at Verdun the sector period was four days,
while in Lorraine during that time the same
size unit could remain in the trenches for
three months without necessity of relief.
n. Preliminary Dispositions for the
ReUef
Time to Prepare the Relief. Usually the
order for the relief is issued from the general
headquarters to the regiment forty-eight
hours previous to its execution. Sometimes,
however, for tactical reasons, such time can-
not be allowed and the regiment may have to
go immediately into the trenches. In such
case, the different operations of the relief,
which are taken up in this chapter, are short-
ened but must not be carelessly executed.
In the present condition of trench warfare
the proper execution of a relief is of the
greatest importance.
Preparation. A relief is executed at night.
Thirty-six h^urs before the relief is made the
men of the relieving units proceed to clean
and get in shape their arms, equipment, and
clothing. When the relief is not for a special
offensive operation, the troops go into the
io8 Trench Fifihting
trenches with ftdl equipment. All non-
regulation articles are left behind with the
regimental train, in care of the non-
commissioned officer left with it. Also,
the files, books, and official papers of the
unit are left here. The regimental train
establishes itself in rear of the sector of its
regiment. ♦
Besides this material preparation, the
officers of the relieving companies are re-
sponsible for the morale of their troops.
Before going into the trenches there may be
some apprehension on the part of the troops,
which must be dispelled by the officers.
The great factor of depression is the mystery
of what is not known of the sector about to-
be entered. Platoon leaders and company
officers try to clear up this difficulty by telling
their i^ien what is known of the sector they
are going to hold, and otherwise speaking
words of encouragement.
Reconnaissance. Prior to taking over a
sector, a preliminary reconnaissance is made
by a certain ntmiber of officers and orderlies.
They are:
For the Regiment — The colonel and part of
his headquarters staff (adjutant, intelligence
officer, telephone officer, engineer officer,
medical officer, supply officer).
Th^ Relief j^
«anlr*l'. ?'***."°"-^^^ battalion com-
^anaer and his adjutant.
"zander* ti^™^^if'~'^^" "^P^y <^o'"-
machin? ^ <=o«ipany conunander and one
Set " ^ °^'^'- T^« commander of
Ir "^- gun platoon.
• cret^:nnL"°^,.*tP''°- -- at the dis-
into the^tre^.f'^""^?'^''''^ P^"^'^' ^'" ^o
preceding the '' •".!'' T."'"^ "' *^^ ^^>^
start ^riv °'^^ ''^''^- '^*^"y «^"«t
number of T^"^^ *° P"""^* ^ ^^^^^'^
turn to tt 5,''^'"^ °^ *^®^^ P^rt^es to re-
formatrr. ^"^*^ ^'^^ *" ^^^t^^'s and in-
the reJiiJ '?^cessary for the movement of
and the !L«f"*° ^^^ '^'^*°'- "^^^ ^^J^*^"'
in the tf^ ^'^'^enants of each company remain
ing the -^ ^^ ''"*" ^^^ ^^^'^^ ^^'^^^- Dur-
quaint thl"*^7^''*"^' '*'"® *^^y "lust ac-
^ctor n^^^^^ ^^'^ ^11 details of the
defense. ^^ ^°^ *^^ ^""^'^^^ of its
an onLi^^^^^"^^ reconnaissance affords
^ieS^^ J^.*^ *° *^« *i^ff«^««t leaders and
of interesnr2ch.° ""'" '''" ^""^'^'^ ^^''^^^
Pdr the Colonel or Battalion Commander-
no Trench Fighting
The general organization and defense of their
area.
For the Adjutants— -The works under con-
struction, precautions against gas attacks,
etc.
For Officers of the Regimental Head-
quarters Co. — Information as follows:
Information Service — Activity of the
enemy, microphones, observation posts and
observatories, carrier pigeon posts, signal
rockets.
Telegraph Service — Telephone systems,
flashlight posts, wireless or ground telegraphy
installations.
Engineer and Ordnance Service — Depots
and supply (material and ammunition), special
engineer works, trench mortar emplacements.
Medical Service — Dressing stations, evacu-
ation of the wounded, hygiene (latrines, etc.).
Supply Officer — Emplacements of the
kitchens, food supply.
For the Company Commander — Location
of the platoons (ntmiber of men holding the
first line and distribution of same; platoons
in the cover trench and support line) . Shelter
accommodations, alarm signals, artillery sup-
port (limits of barrage fronts and barrage
calls). Counter attacks (troops and directions
for counter attacks). Information of the en-
The Relief iii
emy (observation posts of the support point).
Supply (engineer dumps, kitchens, ration
supply parties, water).
For the Machine Gun Company Com-
mander — Distribution of machine guns and
emplacements, limits of machine gun fire
sectors, emergency and special uses of M. G.
When such a complete reconnaissance
cannot be made, only commanders of units
precede their troops and make a short recon-
naissance of one or two hours.
. Relief Orders
(i) Regimental Orders. Usually the general
order for the relief of a sector is settled on in
conference by the colonels of the relieving and
relieved regiments. This order is sent to the
battalion commanders, if possible, before the
reconnaissance .
The order of relief contains the following
paragraphs :
Day and hour of the relief, designating
the relieving and relieved units.
The name, limits, and division of the
sector with designations of the neighboring
units.
Information of the artillery support, its
composition and emplacements.
112 Trench Fighting
Orders for the reconnaissance, its com-
position, and the hour when it must be
finished.
Orders for the movement of the relief;
march of the regiment from the initial point
to the point of dispersion where the battal-
ions branch off to their particular areas.
If the regiment is transported in motor
trucks, points and orders for entraining and
detraining. Hours of departure of each
battalion from the dispersion point and
special itineraries for each.
Movement of the relieved jtroops. As-
sembly points of these battalions.
Movement of the regimental trains, re-
lief of the kitchens, supply measures for
furnishing of provisions, orders for the sani-
tary personnel.
Hour at which the new colonel takes
command of the sector.
(2) Battalion Orders. All details for the
relief are fixed in the battalion relief order
issued by the_ battalion commander. This
order is sent out immediately upon his return
from the preliminary reconnaissance and in
accordance with the regimental order.
The battalion relief order contains the fol-
lowing points:
Hour of leaving the dispersion point.
Alarch of a /tepfment
h the /JeJ/ef
O/s pernio o /i//?A
/hjhti
2'''0n
^^A
8
lU
114 Trench Fighting
Order of march of the units (the compan-
ies march in the order in which they are to
relieve the units in the sector, from right
to left in the first line, and similarly in the
support line).
Itinerary to the entrance of the trenches.
Meeting of the guides, hour and point
of rendezvous, function of the guides of the
relieved battalions.
Movement of headquarters, and ren-
dezvous of the messengers that each com-
pany sends to headquarters to establish
liaison.
Order of supply.
Additional details (result of the recon-
naissance).
Departure. Before departure, each com-
pany is inspected by its company commander,
who must see that each man has his canteen
full, his rations for the day, a full supply of
cartridges, the magazine of his rifle loaded
(no cartridges in the chamber), and his gas
mask in good condition. In winter the re-
lieving troops will find a supply of blankets
and trench boots in the sector. Usually each
man should carry an extra supply of cartridges
above that laid down by regulation, and two
sandbags. There should be a certain num-
ber of flashlights and candles to the company
8«
The Relief 115
(each corporal carrying a minimum of two
candles). Just previous to departure or en-
training the battalion commander himself
makes a general inspection of his unit.
in. Movement of the Relief
March to the Rendezvous Point of the
Guides. Usually the regiment. marches, but
it is sometimes transported in motor trucks,
up to a point in the rear of the sector, called
the point of dispersion, from which the differ-
ent battalions branch off successively to go
to their respective areas. This practice
avoids the crossing of units. A short meal
may be had by the regiment at the point of
dispersion. The distance of this point behind
the sector and the time of arrival of the re-
lieving unit must be carefully calculated so
that the relief may be finished early enough to
permit the unit relieved to get out of sight of
the enemy before daylight.
When the battalions leave the rendezvous
point, each company sends to the battalion
headquarters two messengers for the piupose
of liaison. The units now follow the pre-
scribed itineraries up to the rendezvous point
where the guides are met.
Guides. During the reconnaissance, the
ii6 Trench Fighting
company to be relieved details certain men to
act as guides for the incoming company.
An average of two guides is furnished for
each platoon, one for each company head-
quarters, and one for each battalion head-
quarters. These guides await the arrival of
the different tmits at a certain point called the
rendezvous point of the guides. Usually
this point is ^t the entrance of the boyau.
As several guides are usually grouped at the
same rendezvous point, they must be alert
to meet the unit to which they are assigned.
A non-commissioned officer of the retiring
battalion is in charge of this group and he is
responsible that each guide finds his unit.
Each guide, of course, must know the best
and safest route by which to conduct the unit
to the position it must occupy.
March in the Boyaux. From the rendez-
vous point, the companies continue their
march in the boyaux which are assigned to
them. One guide leads each platoon while
the second guide brings up its rear. The
leading guide must inform the platoon com-
mander of the different points of interest that
are passed, such as each line of the sector,
regimental or battalion command posts,
depots, water points, etc.
The march in the narrow boyau of an un-
The Relief 117
known sector, in the darkness, and with full
equipment, is difficult and depressing. Con-
sequently, the rate of march must be slow.
When the head of the colvimn meets an ob-
stacle, a warning word is passed to the rear
along the single file. This rule is above aP
useful to prevent accident to telephone wires.
The march must be executed without noise.
Orders are given in low tones. Smoking or
the. use of flashlights is prohibited. No
disciplinary measure is too severe that will
prevent the enemy from discovering the relief.
It is absolutely prohibited to talk over the
telephone concerning a relief otherwise than
in cipher.
IV. Occupation of the Position
Details of tiie . Relief. If the two units
have the same nvimber of men, the relieving
of one unit by the other is simple enough.
But often the relief is complicated by the fact
that either the extent of front or the number
of effectives is different. In such a case, the
officers of the two units must settle, during
the reconnaissance, upon the necessary modi-
fications for an effective and expeditious
relief.
When the company arrives at the command
ii8 Trench Fighting
post of the captain, the platoons are relieved
from right to left in the first line, then in the
cover trench in the same order. If there is a
platoon in the support line this is next relieved.
In the first line, the relief of the platoons is
executed in two parts. First of all, the sen-
tinels, observers, watchers, men in the listen-
ing posts, and the N. C. 0. of the watch are
relieved. When this is done, the remaining
men of the platoon are relieved. The men of
the old platoon occupy their places at "Stand
To. '* The relieving platoon files in and steps
up on the firing step. At the command
** Pass ** which is given quietly, the old and new
platoons change places.
Each retiring leader, of whatever command
he may be, hands over his orders and informa-
tion to the corresponding leader who relieves
him. For example, one platoon leader will
turn over to the other all information concern-
ing guard duty, defense of the line, condition
of the barbed wire entanglements, patrolling,
and shelter accommodations. This must be
executed rapidly but with precision.
The platoon relieved assembles at the
entrance to the boyau, and leaves the trenches
under the chief of platoon. This is not done,
however, until the platoon leader has reported
to his captain, by means of his guides, the
The Relief 119
execution of the relief. The old captain
fixes a point for the assembling of his platoons,
but this point must be far enough to the rear
to avoid blocking of the boyaux and out of
reach of hostile grenade and trench mortar
fire.
' In the meantime, at the command post of
the support point, the new captain acquaints
himself with all information and orders per-
taining to the support point from the old
captain. When this is finished he telephones
the command post of the center of resistance
the completion of the relief, and asks if his
predecessor may retire. The relieved com-
pany then takes up the march, following the
prescribed route up to the assembly point of
the battalion.
It may be stated here that the relieved units
must leave their trenches in as clean and
sanitary a condition as possible. The work
of clearing up the shelters and latrines must
be thoroughly done before the arrival of the
new units. Depots must be left in good con-
dition and contain the amount of supplies
called for by regulations. The platoon com-
mander is responsible that his men do not
forget, tools and cooking utensils in the
trenches.
Duties after the Relief. In each support
I20 Trench Fighting
point, the new captain immediately estab-
lishes liaison with the command posts of the
neighboring units to right and left. Com-
munication between the captain and his bat-
talion commander is obtained by means of the
two messengers detailed to the battalion for
that purpose and who now return to their
company.
When the battalion commander has re-
ceived the information from all his captains
that the relief of his area is finished, he re-
ports the same by telephone to his colonel,
A confirmation of this report will be made the
next morning in his daily written report which
will cover the following points:
The general condition of the relief.
Hour of completion of the relief.
Casualties during the relief.
Living conditions in the trenches.
Requests for tactical modifications (new
dispositions of the garrison).
The relief finished, the battalion commander
must also establish his liaison laterally and to
the front and rear, but especially with his
artillery support, by means of the artillery
N. C. 0. detailed to his area for that purpose.
Finally, the battalion commander investi-
gates and perfects the organization of the
food supply.
The Relief 121
In the sector headquarters, the new sector
commander will find on file all records, reports,
orders, and detailed information concerning
all the elements of defense of the sector. The
sector file will contain the following docu-
ments :
Plan of organization.
Plan of defense.
Files of information concerning:
Machine guns. •
Trench mortars.
Artillery support (table of barrages and
other fires).
Liaison (telephones, runners, signalling,
etc.).
Supply and evacuation.
Measiires to combat gas attacks.
Besides these are the files of the different
reports :
Sector daily reports (kept by the adju-
tant).
Intelligence reports (kept by the intelli-
gence officer).
Construction reports (kept by the en-
gineer oflBcer).
Maps, sketches, and aeroplane photo-
graphs (kept by int. officer).
Inventory of the sector depot (kept by
engineer officer).
122 Trench Fighting
Any officer of the sector, as for example a
machine gun officer, has access to this file to
more thoroughly acquaint himself for the
execution of his duties.
CHAPTER V
DEFENSE QF A POSITION
Different Kinds of Hostile Attacks
Surprise Attacks. These may be raids or
local attacks. A raid is usually for the
purpose of taking prisoners; and a local
attack, to capture a part of the line.
These operations may be carried out
without a preliminary bombardment, but
are usually preceded by a short intense
bombardment to destroy wire entangle-
ments.
Attacks in Force. Such an attack may
be made on a larger part of the line, as a
particular sector, or on a considerable length
of front in a general offensive. ' This kind
of attack is, of course, preceded by a bom-
bardment.
Special Attacks. Special attacks are made
with gas, liquid fire, and mine methods.
These will be taken up in detail in a later
chapter.
123
124 Trench Fighting
Surprise Attacks
Precautions Against Surprise. In con-
sidering precautions against surprise attacks,
it is not a question of combating patrols or
enemy's reconnaissance parties whose mis-
sions are to search out information of your
intentions and situation. It is a question of
raids and little attacks on your lines. Against
such hostile operations the defense of the
sector depends upon the following precautions.
Maintenance of tiie Barbed Wire Entangle-
ments. A surprise attack, to be successful,
must have besides surprise the element of
swiftness. The enemy must make a dash
across **No Man's Land** up to your first line.
This, however, is impossible, if your barbed
wire entanglements are intact. Consequently
each captain is responsible for the mainte-
nance of the wire belt in front of his line.
It is the duty of the observation service to
discover breaches or defects in your wire.
To this end, the captain sends out at night
patrols to ascertain the condition of his en-
tanglements. If necessary, small detach-
ments are sent out at night to make repairs.
If this work is considerable, he calls upon the
battalion commander for special working
parties to assist. The captain, in his daily
Defense of a Position 125
requisitions for material, provides for the
supply of wire, chevaux-de-frise, etc., that he
may need.
Service of Guard and Observation. One
of the most important duties of the observers
in the first line, and of the sentinels and patrols,
is to locate breaches that the enemy has made
in your wire, or to discover hostile parties in
the act of tampering with the same.
Breaches or passages in your wire may
be made by such means as bangalores and
petards and detonators. The explosion of
such an arrangement is a sufficient signal of
alarm. These are usually poor methods.
Passages may be made by special hostile
patrols using wire cutters. These wire cut-
ting patrols may precede the attack. Alert
sentinels or your own hotirly patrols, that
crawl along your wire belt, should discover
such operations.
The usual method, however, is to destroy
barbed wire by artillery fire. The object of
hostile shelling of your position is not always
easily detected. The enemy may carry out a
general artillery fire on your position during
the day, for example, just before dusk. At
the same time he will concentrate certain bat-
teries for a methodical destruction of parts of
your entanglement. For this reason it is the
126 Trench Fighting
mission of the first patrol, sent out at dusk, to
ascertain the condition of the barbed wire belt.
The report of this patrol may carry important
indications of the intentions of the enemy.
Sometimes a hostile surprise attack is
preceded only by a short and unexpected
bombardment. Registering shots for this
artillery fire are made during the day. These
registering shots, however, are fired short of
the wire in "No Man's Land*' to deceive the
observers that they are for the purpose of
barrage control. In this case, the only means
to baffle the attack is to have diligent sentinels
to give immediate alarm, and a well-trained
garrison to take its place in the fire trenches
quickly.
''Stand To" Exercises. A well-trained
garrison, accustomed to ** stand to" quickly,
without noise and confusion, cannot be easily
surprised. When the call to arms is given by
a sentinel, this call is repeated by all watchers
in the successive lines of the support point.
The officer of the watch runs immediately
to the place of call. All the men of the garri-
son spring out of their niches and shelters,
and proceed quickly, without orders, to their
appointed places of combat. This execution
must be automatic, and only a frequent re-
petition of the ''stand to" exercise can give a
127
128 Trench Fighting
unit this result. Besides these exercises, as
we know, the garrison executes ** stand to'*
one hour before dusk and one hour before
daylight. Deep dugouts are prohibited in the
first line because they may become traps in
which the defenders are taken prisoners,
and they materially lengthen the time for the
garrison to take its place for combat.
Only in case of an expected attack and when
the garrison is ready for it, is the alarm signal
given by such special means as bells, whistles, or
rockets. This is exceptional. The only prac-
tical alarm signal that will awaken the garrison
any time during the night is the cry "to arms"
passed along and taken up by everyone.
Rifle, A. M. R., and grenade fire from the
first line will usually stop a stuprise attack.
But since it is impossible to ascertain the
strength of the attacking troops, the defensive
artillery barrage is called for. Similarly, the
reserve troops locate Jin the cover and support
trenches may be used for the purposes of
reinforcement and counterattacks, depending
upon the success of the enemy's attack.
The captain of a support point must not
only keep up the offensive spirit of his garrison
by all the means of trench fighting, but he
must organize and maintain a vigilant guard
and patrol service for security.
Defense of a Position 129
Attack in Force
Attacks in force are carried out to capture
an important position, or there may be a
series of such objectives along a front in a
general offensive. On the other hand, the
object of the defense is not only to repulse the
enemy but also to inflict upon him as great a
loss as possible.
The phases of a great attack are: the pre-
paration, of which the final and most impor-
tant element is the bombardment; the assault
of the first line; and the exploitation of suc-
cess by fighting in the interior of the position.
The defending troops must combat each one
of these phases by the most adequate meas-
ures. We shall take up these measures in
detail.
I. During the Preparation of the
Hostile Attack
Revealing Sjrmptoms of the Attack. The
preparation of the hostile attack reveals itself
by different preparations:
(i) The activity of the enemy:
His infantry will send out more numerous
and aggressive patrols and reconnaissance
parties.
9
I30 Trench Fighting
His artillery will increase its daily de-
structive fire.
It will multiply its number of registering
shots, establish barrage fires in the interior
of your position, and begin to concentrate
on communication routes.
His air service will take on unusual
activities.
(2) Vigilant observation of roads and terri-
tory behind the enemy's lines may reveal
convoys carrying troops and supplies, the as-
sembling of troops in woods, eta (smoke from
their kitchens), accumulation of materials
in depots (often accompanied by explosions
in artillery dumps).
(3) The observation service may discover
new hostile works, such as the construction of
parallels of departure out in front of his first
line. There may be also successive parallels
behind the nearest jumping-off trench.
(4) Prisoners and deserters, who become
more ntunerous because of the approaching
offensive, may give valuable information
concerning the coming attack.
The task of discovering the enemy's pre-
paration for an attack is incumbent upon all
ranks, but above all, this duty devolves par-
ticularly upon the information serv'^ice, bal-
loon and air service, and artillery observers.
Defense of a Position 131
In the sector, the intelligence officer must
perfect his system of observation to the high-
est degree. The information in the daily
reports is carefully sorted and tested.
Preventive Measures before the Attack.
During this time, each chief of area takes
all preventive measures possible against the
coming attack. The attack is an expected
event for which all must be prepared. The
preparation simply consists in perfecting and
carrying out of the original plan of defense.
Perfecting the Organization of the Position.
New lines are created. The number of con-
tinuous lines between strong points and suc-
cessive lines for defense in depth are increased.
Old lines, which are enfiladed by the enemy
or which do not give flanking fire, are rectified
or abandoned for new ones. The number of
boyaux and communicating ditches are mul-
tiplied to facilitate the bringing up of rein-
forcements.
New accessories of defense are constructed
and the old ones strengthened. This is
especially done in the interior of the position
with respect to parallel and perpendicular
barbed wire belts to divide the position into
compartments capable of all-round defense.
Additional false works are created, to waste
the enemy's artillery fire. The art of camou-
132 Trench Fighting
flage IS extensively used during this phase.
New shelter accommodations and dugouts are
constructed for the better protection of the
garrison during the preliminary bombardment.
Increase of the Control and Discipline of the
Defense. The guard and observation ser-
vices are reinforced. Sentinels, observers,
and patrols are held to a stricter account of
their duties.
Machine gun leaders are particular to per-
fect the disposition of their guns in depth of
the position for interior fighting. The sector
for each gun emplacement is carefully verified.
Dugouts serving as shelters for guns during
the bombardment are strengthened.
The support artillery must constantly
verify the settings of their barrages. Numer-
ous exercises are carried out for the call of the
barrage with rockets, so as to keep the artillery
constantly on the alert.
Liaison must be assured by other means
than the telephone as this latter system usu-
ally breaks down under severe and continuous
shelling. When the telephone is out of order,
chains of runners must be resorted to. In
the ordinary life of the trenches runners are
not used. For this reason, when an attack
is expected, new chains of runners must be
established.
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134 Trench Fightinj}
Supplies in the depots must be kept up to
contemplated requirements. Besides the reg-
ular depots of the sector, ntunerous small
ones are now established for the better dis-
tribution of extra an^nunition and for the
supply of reinforcing and counterattack
troops. Supply parties are detailed to carry
up ammunition during the battle.
Moral Preparation of the Troops. When
an attack is expected, this fact must be told the
garrison of each area, so that it can better pre-
pare for it. The troops must not be left in
ignorance, and upon the officers informing
them devolves the responsibility of perform-
ing this task in such a manner as to raise the
morale of their troops. The men must be
maintained in the best of physical condition.
Their food supply must be regular, of good
quality, and sufficient. The tour of duty of
the interior relief of the first line is shortened,
Duties during the Preliminary Bombard-
ment. The most important and final act in
preparation for the attack is a heavy and un-
usual bombardment of the position. Con-
centrated fire is brought to bear upon all vis-
ible points of the sector to demolish trenches,
emplacements, dugouts, routes, and ammuni-
tion dtunps, and to destroy the barbed wire
entanglements. Certain batteries are de-
136 Trench Fighting
tailed for counter-battery work. Barrages
are established to prevent reinforcements
from coming up and to cut communications
with the rear. Against this bombardment,
the defense has both a passive and an active
r61e to play.
Maintenance of the Garrison during the
Bombardment. The violence of preliminary
bombardments is ever increasing and there
seems to be no limit. High explosive 'shells
of every caliber are used against the position.
Any element of your system that is not prop-
erly concealed and can be located by the
enemy is subjected to concentrated artillery
fire until it is blown out of existence. Casual-
ties inflicted upon the garrison are severe —
in fact, it would seem from the violence of the
artillery fire that few of the garrison could
escape. However, when the assault develops,
a machine gun may be found intact here and
there in the position. One or two of these
powerful weapons, by the use of flanking fire,
may be enough to cause the failure of the
enemy's attack. It is possible to say that
upon the use of M. G.'s depends the whole
interior defense of the sector.
The maintenance of the garrison during the
bombardment depends, of course, upon the
number and depth of dugouts. The service
Defense of a Position 137
of defense, however, requires many of the
troops to execute their duties in the open
trenches. The leaders must set the example
in this respect by making their rounds, and
taking their posts to observe the area from
the observation posts. In other words, they
must not stay in their dugouts.
The bombardment naturally causes a great
deal of repair work to be done. This is exe-
cuted at night or during lulls in the shelling.
Only emergency works, however, are executed,
such as repairing of accessory defenses, clean-
ing of trenches and rebuilding of shelters.
When this work becomes too heavy for the
garrison, reserve troops are brought up to
assist.
Reply with Artillery Fire. The only means
to decrease the effectiveness of the hostile
bombardment is to reply with your own artil-
lery. For this purpose, a certain part of yoiu:
artillery is detailed for counter-battery work.
The emplacements or approximate locations
of the hostile guns are set down on maps.
These are divided amongst the counter-battery
artillery who attempt to silence or neutralize
the same.
In a sector, the commander may ask for
what is known as counter-preparation fire.
This fire is similar to the preliminary bombard-
138 Trench Fighting
ment of the enemy. It covers the entire posi-
tion of the enemy and is just as methodical in
its scope. All the artillery that is at the dis-
posal of the general is used for this ptupose,
and consequently the call for this fire must be
through the general.
Similar to the counter-preparation fire,
but on a smaller scale, is what is known as
preventive fire which may be called for from
the support artillery. This fire covers the first
and second lines and is used to prevent the
enemy from assembling his troops in the first
line for the assault. This fire has been found
very efficient. It is called for by telephone
and not automatically by rocket.
n. Defense of the First Line during a
Hostile Attack
Duties of Watchers. At the moment the
assault is launched, part of the enemy's artil-
lery establishes a barrage on your first line.
The rest of the artillery, however, continues
the regular bombardment to deceive the de-
fenders as to the exact time of launching the
attack. Therefore, the exact moment that
the enemy comes over the top can only be
determined by the watchers in your first line.
It is their duty to give the alarm so that the
Defense of a Position
139
garrison can reach its place in the firing line
before the enemy reaches the same. This is
a matter of seconds and not of minutes.
Consequently, each dugout has a watcher
located at its entrance and machine gun dug-
outs maintain special watchers. For each
MACHINE GUNNeKs*
DUGOUT
POSITION or WATCHERS
watcher at an entrance there is a second
watcher within sight and calling distance
ready to receive the alarm from the firing
trench. If the second watcher is killed, the
watcher at the entrance moves up and takes
his place while another man from the dugout
goes on watch there. These men are on duty
only from fifteen to thirty minutes at a time.
By a system of relief each occupant of a dug-
I40 Trench Fighting
out serves a tour of duty as a watchef . The
post of the watcher is protected as far as
possible.
The Officer and N. C. O. of the Watch.
During this time, the officer and the N. C.
O. of the watch constantly make their rounds
to see if the watchers are performing their
duty efficiently. Instantly the alarm is
given, the first duty of the officer of the watch
is to set off the rockets calling for the barrage.
At the same time, the orderly that accompa-
nies him runs to the command post of the
captain where the barrage call is confirmed by
telephone and by rocket. Rocket signals are
repeated and relayed from the same area,
until the barrage is obtained.
Defenders of the First Line. Immedi-
ately the call to arms is given, the troops of
the first line spring out of their shelters and
take their places at the parapet of the firing
trench. If these parapets and fire trenches
have been destroyed, the troops are not in
immediate grave danger, because at this mo-
ment the enemy's barrage on your first line
has lifted and is progressing toward the second
line. Besides this, the assaulting troops can
not subject the defenders to fire during the
advance. Also, the assaulting colimin is sub-
jected to the defensive barrage and is more
Defense of a Position 141
or less in confusion, due to this fire and having
to cross the shell-torn area of **No Man's
Land/* Then, too, what is left of your
barbed wire entanglements will hold up the
enemy's troops. In short, the advantage at
this particular point lies entirely with the
defenders if they can occupy the first line in
time.
Among all the weapons of defense, the most
powerful is the machine gun. The successful
repulse of the hostile attack depends to the
greatest extent upon the ability to use machine
guns after the attack is under way. The op-
portune fire of one machine gun on the flank
of an assaulting coltmin may disorganize it
and drive back its troops.
The Captain. As soon as the alarm is given
or it is known that the enemy's attack has
started, the captain throws his reinforcing
platoons into the first line. These troops, in
going forward, employ the boyaux laid down
in the plan of defense. The hand grenades
that they carry are stored in their dugouts.
The chiefs of the reinforcing platoons do not
necessarily wait for this order of the captain,
but act upon their own initiative in sending
forward their units. If, however, the first
line has already been taken, the reinforcing
platoons automatically carry out the functions
142 Trench Fighting
of a counterattack by leaving their boyaux
and going over the top to retake the captured
trench. This last movement of over the top
by the counterattacking troops is facilitated
by the fact that the hostile artillery barrage
has by this time passed to the rear of the first
line.
The next duty of the captain is to report to
his chief of battalion the alarm, which is done
by means of a chain of runners, by signaling,
or by use of carrier pigeons, because usually
by this time the telephone system has broken
down under the artillery bombardment.
III. Fighting in the Interior of the
Position
If the hostile assault on the first line is suc-
cessful, the fight for the occupation of the
position, which takes place in the interior, has
only begun. Opposing his frontal progression
through the position, the enemy will encounter,
as we know, a series of defensive lines disposed
in depth. Also, for instance, if a nest of re-
sistance holds up the progress of a part of the
assaulting troops, the successive overlapping
waves will carry on along the flanks of this
stronghold. If, then, the position is strongly
divided into compartments, the fire of such
Defense of a Position 143
defenses will take these overlapping troops
in the flank and rout them. The defenders
may also play an active r61e and the enemy
is likely to encounter new troops sent up for
the purpose of counterattacbt
The division of the ground in support points,
centers of resistance and sectors, has precisely
for its object the localization of the enemy's
attacks. Each area must be organized to
defend itself, independently of any other part
of the position. Consequently, the officers
must explain this condition to their men, so
that they will have no concern if they see
that the enemy has penetrated and is attack-
ing them on the flank or rear. On the other
hand, if several of these compartments hold
their ground, the enemy may find himself
surrounded in a certain area and cut off from
the rear by barrage fire. Thus abandoned in
a part of the position that he has momentarily
taken, a vigorous counterattack will drive him
out.
Defense of an Area. The defense of each
area is made similarly to that of the first
line, as these areas embrace the successive
lines of the position. The areas range in
importance from front to rear, the support
point embracing the first line, the center of
resistance the first two lines, and the sector
144 Trench Fighting
all three lines of the position. The alarm of
an attack is relayed by the area commanders,
the captain to the battalion commander, who
in turn communicates it to the colonel of the
sector. Not #only the attacked portion of
the sector is affected by this alarm, but the
whole sector, so to speak, takes up arms.
Let us see what happens as a result of this.
All defenders of the area who have a special
duty, immediately occupy their posts and
remain there awaiting developments of the
attack. For example, telephone men will
remain at their instruments, runners will
repair to their relay posts, observers occupy
their observatories, and chiefs and headquar-
ters officers remain at their command posts.
And above all, the machine gun crews will
man the guns disposed for interior fighting.
At the same time, the different troops held
in reserve in the successive lines are used to
hold their own line, to reinforce the line in
front, or to make counterattacks. When the
alarm is given, all supporting reserve troops
take their places in their own lines. In each
support point, the platoons held in reserve are
sent forward as reinforcements to, or to make
counterattacks against, the firing line. Simi-
larly, in each center of resistance the
companies held in reserve are employed as re-
I2i Battalion
1 Counter attack
of company
, and battalion
sypporfs are
^Ja^nched apto-
matically as
laid down In
"'piarx of defense.
cn riATooH m
FIK5T UNeC?
PLATOON or
mt svrroKT
-AUTOMATIC
COVHTtK ATTACK
([Q]) COMPANY or
R£G. RESERVE
The eoMnfer oTfacK of Ae^imenta) f^se^ve waits
for command of the colonel. 5ome unif.8
remain in the cover Une of gy tillery.
FUNCTION OF COUNTER ATTACKS
IN INTERIOR OF THE POSITION
10
145
146 Trench Fighting
inforcements or to recapttire the first line. If,
upon arriving at the first line, these troops
receive no orders for particular duty, they re-
place the reserve platoons of the support point.
Likewise, the sector reserve of the third line is
sent forward to or, in case the enemy has taken
it, against the second line. The static or pas-
sive organization of the defense lies in the
series of lines of trenches disposed in depth, but
the active r6le of the defender is carried out
in these successive waves of defense moving
forward in definite limits to meet the attack,
not only to repulse it but to inflict as much
loss as possible to the enemy. This trans-
forms the defensive combat into more nearly
a fight in the open ground, with the spirit of
the offensive.
The Counterattack. It follows that the
last and, very often, the most decisive means
of defense of the sector is the counterattack.
In each center of resistance, a counterattack
has for its purpose the retaking of the first
line when this is captured by the enemy. It
is made by the battalion reserves located in
the reserve line.
The sooner the counterattack is made after
its necessity, the more effective it wpi be.
It should arrive at the first line almd«»t, one
might say, at the same time that the enemy
Defense of a Position 147
does. At any rate, the counterattack should
strike the enemy by surprise while he is still
in a state of disorganization. Consequently,
in the plan of defense of the battalion, the
counterattack must be foreseen and all its
details must be laid down. All these details
must be known and practiced by the troops
who are to execute the counterattack, so
that when the alarm is given the counter-
attack will start automatically without orders
and be carried to a finish like a good piece of
team-work.
The counterattack is launched on the initi-
ative of the leader of these troops, without
waiting for the orders of the battalion com-
mander. The latter may not know the exact
situation nor be so located in the area as to ap-
preciate the opportunity of the counterattack.
Troops Detailed for the Counterattack.
The company, or companies, held as reserve
of the center of resistance, are divided into
half-companies or platoons under the com-
mand of a single leader. Each one of these
detachments is assigned to a support point and
is put at the disposal of the captain command^
ing the same, to counterattack on his first
line if captured by the enemy. In order to
secure the proper liaison between these two
units, the cotmterattack troops send a mes-
148 Trench Fighting
senger to the command post of the support
point which they are assigned to. When
the hostile attack is executed and counter-
attack troops are needed, the captain sends
this messenger back to call them up.
Routes or Directions for Counterattacks.
Each detachment of counterattack troops has
a fixed route for its attack laid down in the
plan of defense. Usually a boyau that it
employs or along which it travels, fixes the
direction. For this reason, in the interior
of the position gaps are left in the barbed
wire* entanglements to permit the passage of
these troops in the counterattack. Portable
chevaux-de-frise are employed to fill up these
gaps when necessary.
Form of the Counterattack. The counter-
attack may be executed as a frontal or a flank
attack. Frontal counterattacks are, per-
haps, not as effective as the latter, but they
are more easily executed, especially in the
case where exact knowledge of the situation in
the line in front is not known. This is the
form of advance employed in the support
point where the reinforcing platoons, starting
forward to strengthen the line and finding it
captured, change their tactics by leaping over
the top and charging the line with grenades
and bayonets.
t rath of
: Grenadiers
I from dos^vts
EXAMPLE OF A COUNTER ATTACK
EXECUTED BY TWO PUT00N5 OE
CENTER OF KE5I5TANCE SUPPORT
^yr^t,)
{^o>ier
Ihc
/approach \
I through I
149
I50 Trench Fighting
A counterattack to the flank usually in-
volves a little maneuvering. The most success-
ful of these attacks are those executed in two
detachments — for example, a party of grena-
diers may attack the enemy occupying a part
of the area either on one or both flanks. Its
approach is usually through a trench or boyau.
A second party of riflemen, at the same time,
will make a frontal attack on the enemy over
the top with bayonets. To completely sur-
round the enemy, an artillery barrage is some-
times established to cut him off from the rear.
The battalion commander works out the
plan of counterattack down to the most
minute detail. But when the hostile attack
is carried out, he is no longer the master of it.
All the foreseen movements start at the proper
time and are carried out in their workings
like a piece of mechanism. The time of the
start of the counterattack is in reality given
by the enemy himself.
Repair of the Position. After a hostile
attack has been repulsed, the chief of area
must realize that similar attempts may be
made without delay. The first and most
important repair work that must be done is
to construct a parapet along the firing line.
There may be no trench left along this line,
but a fire parapet of sandbags must be
Defense of a Position 151
constructed immediately. At night reserve
troops are brought up with tools and sandbags
to put the line in the best state of defense
possible.
CHAPTER VI
ATTACK OF A POSITION
Phases of the Attack. As we have already
learned, the attack of a position by a unit
comprises three phases:
The preparation of the attack.
The assault against the first hostile line.
The exploitation of the success by fighting in
the interior of the position for its occupation.
These phases are the same as those in open-
ground warfare, ^but their importance, aspect,
and order are not the same. Especially the
preparation of a trench attack is such a pre-
ponderant phase of the 'attack that upon the
manner of its execution depends the success
of the attack. The exploitation of the success
is a long and decisive operation. In trench
warfare, the assault is only the beginning
of the fighting for a position, and its purpose
is to make a breach in the enemy's first line.
Through this breach, the reinforcing and re-
serve troops are pushed in behind the assault-
ing columns to deliver the real combat for the
capture and occupation of the position.
152
Attack of a Position 153
Thus we see that the assault, which in open-
ground warfare is the final phase of the battle,
is, on the contrary, in trench warfare the first
move of the fight. In open warfare, the order
of the battle is: the preparation, the approach
march and infantry combat, and finally, the
assault. An offensive in trench fighting con-
sists of, first, the preparation; next, the assault
against the first line; and last of all, the in-
terior fighting for the position.
The cause of this reversion of the r61es of
the attacking troops in a trench offensive
operation lies in the strength and stability of
the fortified front. It is impossible to maneu-
ver against a continuous line which extends
without a single breach. It is only possible to
maneuver behind the first line or within the
position after a breach has been made. If
a p^rt of the first line gives way before the
pressure of the assailants, the leader of the
attacking units pushes forward his troops
through this breach without consideration of
the strategical value of the part of the line
broken.
L Preparation of the Attack
Front of Attack. The tactical unit for an
attack is a division. A division that is placed
154 Trench Fighting
in the front line for this purpose is called an
attacking division. To such a division is
assigned the task of attacking and capturing
a definite length of front of the hostile posi-
tion. All the necessary means to carry out
this mission are in the hands of the division
commander.
The tactical unit for an assault, in this
division, is the battalion. Each assaulting
battalion is placed in front of that part of the
hostile line against which it is to operate,
which is called its front of attack. The
length of this front is variable with the tacti-
cal situation. Also, this length in no way
indicates to the enemy the strength of the
attacking troops because they are disposed for
the attack in depth. According to the size
of the Tront of attack, the battalion com-
mander will place two or three companies, in
the assaulting column, and two or one com-
pany as reinforcing support.
Conditions of the Assault. An assaulting
battalion must be disposed in a certain man-
ner, which is called the assaulting disposition.
In establishing this disposition, we must con-
sider the distance of the assault and the out-
line of the assaulting lines.
Distance of the Assault. The distance
over which the troops make their assault
Attack of a Position 155
across **No Man's Land" must not be too
great. This is to avoid as much as possible
the enemy's barrage and machine gun fire.
For this reason, parallels of departure or
jumping-off trenches, if necessary, may be
constructed out in front of the first line for
the assembling of the assaulting troops. On
the other hand, your own first line should not
be so near to the enemy's position as to be
in the zone of artillery' dispersion when your
own batteries are firing at the enemy's first
line. However, one is not always master of
this distance, as it is a result of long fighting
and occupation of the two positions. The
proper concealment of these attack works,
such as the parallels of departure, is an es-
sential c6ndition of success.
The Tface of the Lines of Departure.
The trace of the lines of departure must be
parallel to the first line of the enemy, not to
your own, so that the assaulting troops will
simply have to start in a perpendicular direc-
tion from the lines of departure to reach their
objective. In other words, the assault is a
simple frontal attack without maneuvers.
Ground Preparation for the Assault. It
follows from the statements of the conditions
of the assault and also of the tactical and
material preparation of the attack, that the
156 Trench Fighting
terrain from which these troops will start
must be specially organized for this purpose.
We have discussed the principles and details
of the organization of the position for the
defense, and it is clear that these must differ
materially from those for the attack. An
attack, like a defense, is made with the units
disposed in depth. To launch an attack,
certain of the defensive works that play but a
passive rdle in the resistance, such as barbed
wire entanglements, must be rearranged,
modified, or partially eliminated. Other ele-
ments, such as routes, boyaux, and supply
depots that facilitate the forward movement
of reinforcements, are multiplied.
Details of the Preparation of the Ground
for the Attack. All the details of the prepara-
tion of the ground for the attack are laid down
in an order called the ''Plan of Ground Dis-
position*' issued by the general of the attack-
ing division. This order is divided into two
parts : the organization of the works, and their
execution.
Organization. We know that the disposi-
tion of an assaulting unit is in the form of suc-
cessive echelons, called waves. In order to
protect these waves before the assault, it is
necessary to construct for them trenches paral-
lel to the enemy's first line; and for this reason
Attack of a Position 157
these are called parallels of departure. The
trace of the first parallel fixes the directions of
the others behind. For example, an assault-
ing battalion which is going to advance in
four waves, might have two parallels of de-
parture with two waves in each parallel.
These parallels are narrow trenches like the
defensive lines, but with a series of steps in the
front side so that the men can go over the top
easily. If there are no steps, trench ladders
or footholds must be used.
Theoretically, one might think that the
distance between these successive parallels
should be the same as that between the attack-
ing lines. But this is not practicable. Such
practice would mark out boldly on the ground,
for the enemy's air observation, your intentions
and your dispositions for the attack. There-
fore, this method is strictly prohibited. Be-
sides, it is not necessary, since the regulation
distances between the lines and waves are not
realized from the point of departure of the
assault. The object of the assaulting com-
panies is to cross ** No Man*s Land ** as quickly
as possible to avoid the enemy's defensive
barrage and machine gun fire. Consequently,
when the different lines of the first wave jump
out of the same parallel of departure, they
will dash across to the enemy's first line with
158 . Trench Fighting
little regard to distances but with a fixed
idea of reaching their first objective before
the hostile garrison, and before the enemy's
barrage intervenes. They attain their regula-
tion distance as soon as the zone of barrage is
passed and when they have arrived at and
crossed the first hostile line.
In order not to print the attack on the
ground, so to speak, these different parallels
of departure are not constructed in front of
your position unless absolutely necessary.
They are constructed when the distance
across "No Man's Land** is more than
five hundred yards, when there is natural
cover, such as woods to conceal them, and
sometimes on reverse slopes. The different
defensive lines of the sector make very conven-
ient parallels of departure. The first waves
of the assaulting company are placed in the
firing and cover trenches of the first line. The
reinforcing platoons are disposed in the trans-
versal and intermediate and support lines.
Behind these lines are constructed places
d'armes or assembling places for the reserve
troops. These places d'armes consist of a
series of short transversal trenches leading off
both sides of a central boyau.
If the first hostile line is too far from our
own first line, on the night previous to the
Attack of a Position 159
attack, hasty parallels of departure are con-
structed out in *'No Man's Land" for the
leading wave of the assault. This is to give
this leading element the best possible chance
to arrive at the enemy's first line uninterrupted
by artillery fire and before the hostile garrison.
The work of preparing the ground for the
disposition of the attacking troops also com-
prehends the following :
Several boyaux.
Command posts and observatories in ad-
vance of those of the defensive sector. Each
chief must now be in the middle of his unit
and not behind it.
Depots and medical-aid stations. Each
company has its own little ammunition depot
near the post of the captain.
Ditches for telephone wires. Each bat-
talion has telephone wires brought up in its
main boyau as far as the first parallel. At
this point, telephone material is stored so that
the system can be carried into the enemy's
position with the least delay.
Small bridges are constructed for the pas-
sage of the parallels by the reserves.
It^is not necessary that the shelter accom-
modations be ntmierous, especially in the
first line, because the assaulting troops are
brought in only a few days before the attack.
i6o Trench Fighting
The Execution of the Works. The second
part of the plan of ground disposition contains
the details of the execution of the works for
the preparation of the ground previous to the
attack. This part consists of;
1. Emergency works (necessary to the
assault).
Observatories and command posts.
The first two parallels of departure for
each battalion. If none need be constructed,
the defensive lines used for this purpose are
designated.
Secondary boyaux between parallels, one
for each company.
Entrance and evacuation boyaux.
Ammunition depots and water points.
Dressing stations.
If there is more time, the following are
constructed:
The third and fourth parallels.
Telephone wires and material brought up.
Bridges for crossing the parallels.
2. Time of duration of the execution of
the works.
This may vary from three to "twelve
days, or even more, depending upoR cir-
cumstances.
3. Division of labor.
This depends upon the number of special
Attack of a Position i6i
working parties at your disposal. A whole
division may be assigned for this work, but
it is not the division that will make the
attack.
4. Tools.
The tools required for this work are re-
quisitioned from the headquarters of the
attacking army.
5. Ammunition depots.
Cartridges, hand grenades, and signal
rockets.
6. Ammunition depots.
Sandbags and logs.
7. Transportation of supplies.
Special means of transportation besides
the usual ones, railroads, motor trucks,
mules, horses, etc.
Artillery Preparation
During the time employed in preparing the
ground for the attack, the artillery executes
the preliminary bombardment. This com-
prehends three kinds of fire.
I . Counter-Battery Fire. A certain part
of the artillery is detailed to destroy the
hostile batteries or, if this is not possible,
to neutralize them. This result is obtained
by methodical fire on precise targets. Each
IX
i62 Trench Fighting
battery or group of batteries is assigned
certain emplacements to destroy. Counter-
battery fire is long-winded work and is begun
several days or even weeks before the atta^ck.
If the hostile batteries are not destroyed
before the time of attack, they must be neu-
tralized at this moment by violent shelling
by all the batteries disposed for this purpose,
with shrapnel and other special shells. This
counter-battery action will hinder the hostile
artillery from executing defensive fire, barrage,
preventive fire, counter-preparation fire. It
is carried out by special groups of heavy and
light artillery under control of the general.
2. Fire on Communication Routes, De-
pots, etc. This fire, besides its destructive
effect upon the enemy's position, hinders
the arrival of reinforcing troops, material,
ammunition, and food. The shelling of dis-
tant roads, depots, and bivouacs is carried out
by batteries of long-range guns. The fire on
the nearest communications, such as interior
supply routes, entrances of boyaux, kitchen
emplacements^ etc., is executed by light bat-
teries of the divisional artillery.
3. Destructive Fire. Before the attack,
the whole of the enemy's position is submitted
to methodical and violent artillery fire for
the purpose of destroying:
Attack of a Position 163
Obstacles which may hinder the advance
of the assaulting column : accessory defenses,
such as barbed wire entanglements.
Elements of the defense, such as strong
points, machine gun emplacements, ob-
servatories, depots, shelters, and dugouts.
Each different kind of target calls for a cer-
tain number of rounds of a particular caliber.
These calculations of the different numbers of
rounds are the results of experience and are
set down in tables for the information of the
sector commander. The time, therefore,
necessary for a proper preparation for the
attack is a function of the number and
strength of targets. The artillery, preparation
may last from one to twenty days, but it
must continue until the elements of the hostile
position are sufficiently destroyed to assure
a successful attack.
Before an offensive, there is placed at the dis-
posal of the attacking divisions, besides their
regular divisional artillery, a special allotment
of batteries. The different calibers of guns
are used according to the nature of the
target. The largest calibers are employed
against the strongest elements of the organiza-
tion: nests of resistance, strong points, and
deep dugouts. Light artillery is used to oblit-
erate trenches and boyaux and interior barbed
164 Trench Fighting
wire entanglements. Trench mortars serve
to destroy the elements of the first line and
its accessory defenses.
Plan of Artillery Action. The details for
the execution of these different artillery fires
are laid down in the plan of action of the
artillery of the army corps or of the division.
This plan is a part of the plan of battle of the
division. These details must be carried out
punctually and with precision. The sector
commanders are not interested directly in the
execution of these fires, but they are in their
results.
Duties of the Infantry during the Artillery
Preparation. In connection with the artil-
lery fire, the infantry in the position must
observe the results of the bombardment and
' the leaders report their opinion upon its
control.
Observation. The observation of the
counter-battery fire, long-range fire on com-
munication routes, and destructive fire on the
interior of the position, falls upon the artil-
lery's ground observers and the aviation ser-
vice. But the duty of observing the results of
destructive fire on the enemy's first line is
carried out with the help of the infantry
observers. Each regiment must observe the
front upon which it is to make the attack.
Attack of a Position 165
Special attention is paid to the destruction
of barbed wire entanglements and machine
gun emplacements. The interested infantry
does not content itself with a passive observa-
tion, but must send out at night, or even in
daylight, offensive reconnaissance parties.
Their mission is to actually go into the enemy*s
first line; to ascertain its condition, and to
investigate the breaches in the hostileen-
tanglements. The tactics of such a recon-
naissance are the same as for a raid. The
information gathered is sent to the division
headquarters in the daily report of the in-
telligence officer or in special information
reports.
Control. It is both the privilege and the
duty of the infantry commanders to state in^
their daily reports their opinion on the artil-
lery preparation. If they do not express their
exact opinion on the progress of the bombard-
ment, they are liable to pay for their careless-
ness at the time of the assault.
Destruction of the Enemy's Position.
The experiences of three years of trench war-
fare have given bitter proof that an attack
against an insufficiently destroyed position
will not only fail but will result in great losses.
It is sheer folly to attempt an assault against
undestroyed entanglements, or against a line
i66 Trench Fighting
in which the machine gun posts have not been
demolished. One does not oppose materiel
with men. In trench warfare, the conquest
of the ground is made by the artillery; the
infantry follow up this conquest to occupy and
to hold the ground. The essential condition
for the success of an attack depends upon the
proper destruction of the elements 6f a posi-
tion by the artillery.
Plan of Battle. The plan of battle depends
upon, first, the strength of the enemy, ob-
stacles to the attacking troops, lines of de-
fense, nests of resistances, barbed wire, etc. ;
and secondly, the mission of the attacking
unit and the means at its disposal.
Strength of the Enemy. The Information
^Service of a division has so many different
methods of obtaining information and data of
the ^nemy and his defenses that the assaulting
troops can be constantly kept advised of the
state of the hostile position. The regiment
receives daily from the division headquarters
an information bulletin, aeroplane pictures,
and precise maps of the hostile lines. Upon
these data the regimental commander bases his
plan of battle. Comparisons of aeroplane
pictures and maps are particularly useful.
From all these data, the regimental intelligence
officer makes pertinent extracts for the infor-
CONVERGENCE ON THE OBJECTIVE
FOR THE ATTACK
dl^ Object!
2J»'0bjectiv
li^Objccti
Ea.ch Btn. receive
general direction
attack (ishoH'n by a
THese arrows convwrjc
in rear cfihe3^
Qbj:-R.R. stati-
on
METHOD OF REDUCING A NESTOF«?ESISTAMCE
X • ? 3 5 ' Co. A
167
i68 Trench Fighting
mation of the battalion commander. Copies
of the different maps are distributed by the
battalion and company commanders to their
officers and non-commissioned officers in
order that they may have a better knowledge
of the hostile position for the attack.
Mission. The general plan of battle is
issued by the division commander. Based
upon the terms of this order, the Colonel,
Battalion Commander, and Captain issue
detailed orders of their own plan of battle.
The plan of battle of a small unit usually
comprehends the following points:
Mission of the unit in the attack.
Front to be attacked, with definite limits.
Objectives, different lines to be taken, the
last objective.
Disposition of the unit for the attack; for-
mation, intervals.
Disposition of the unit in the parallels of
departure before the attack.
The day (D) and hour (H) of attack.
Direction of the attack; compass angle.
Position of the leader.
Tactical relation with the neighboring
units during the advance.
Use of specialists; machine guns, trench
cleaners, etc.
Support of artillery during the attack.
Attack of a Position 169
Unit liaison during the attack:
With neighboring units and leaders
(runners, telephone, signaling, carrier
pigeons).
With the support artillery (detachment
of liaison, observatories, and rockets).
With air service (rockets, signaling,
Bengal fires).
With balloon service (searchlights).
Equipment for the attack.
Supply of ammunition and water; advanced
supply points.
Evacuation of the wounded; dressing sta-
tions, routes of evacuation, auto ambulance
points. Also, routes of evacuation for pris-
oners and assembling points for same.
This plan of battle is so drawn up that it
may be executed any later day that may be
designated in the order for the attack.
Preparation of the Men for the Attack. The
work of fitting their men physically, profes-
sionally, and morally for the task before them
devolves upon the leaders of all ranks. By
a system of relief, the men of the garrison get
short periods of rest behind the sector to shake
off the atmosphere of the trenches. Continu-
ous instruction of both men and officers in the
basic principles of fighting should be carried
on at all times. The moral training of the
I70 Trench Fighting
men depends to a great extent upon the
officers. The leaders, by example and en-
couraging words, should instill into their
soldiers that fighting spirit which makes for
success in battle.
II. The Assault
Formations for the Assault
• Disposition in Depth. The assault has for
its purpose the capture of the first hostile line,
that is to say, the crossing of "No Man's
Land** and penetrating the enemy's position.
The assault is only the beginning of the com-
bat. When the breach has been made in the
enemy's first line, the assaulting and reinforc-
ing troops must continue the fighting in the
interior for the conquest of the position. The
direct object of the assault is to open the way
for the attacking troops into the position.
The attacking troops are disposed in depth
in a series of echelons, so that during the
advance each echelon is brought into the
battle at the proper moment. This rule of
formation in depth is followed without excep-
tion by every imit of whatever size.
The regiment forms with one or two assault-
ing battalions, and two or one battalion behind
t
I
I
1
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171
t^2 Trench Fighting
in reserve. The battalion has three or, better,
only two assaulting companies and one or two
companies with machine guns, in the second
echelon as support. The company may have
three, but more usually two, assaulting pla-
toons with one or more reinforcing platoons
in the second line.'
Waves. The successive echelons have re-
ceived the name ** waves. ** This designation
is expressive but not clear, and causes mis-
takes.
First, waves may be formed by different
dispositions : in deployed line or in line of small
coltmins.
Secondly, the waves are not always com-
posed of the same strength of troops or units,
and consequently are not of the same dis-
position. The battalion commander will
designate his first assaulting company as his
first assaulting wave. Similarly, the com-
pany commander designates his assaulting
platoons as the first wave; and the platoon
leader, his first skirmish line as the first wave
of the platoon.
Lastly, the real significance of the term
** wave *' lies in its application to the formation
of the departure of the attack and during the
first part of its advance into the interior of the
hostile position. As soon as the assaulting
173
174 Trench Fighting
echelons are held up by nests of resistance,
they are obliged to halt while neighboring
echelons on both flanks continue the advance.
Also, reinforcing units will come up from be-
hind to outflank such a nest. As soon as such
a condition arises within the enemy's position,
the disposition of the troops in waves is lost
and the fight is continued in the best forma-
tion possible under the circumstances.
Formation of an Assaulting Battalion
•
Assaulting Companies. In an assaulting
company, a certain niunber of platoons are
placed in the first or assaulting line, and the
rest in the second line as reinforcing platoons.
The assaulting platoons deploy usually in
two lines of skirmishers, the different special-
ists being assigned to places in these lines de-
pending upon their functions in the attack.
The line of assaulting platoons is known as the
line of combat. A third line of grenadiers
follows closely behind the assaulting platoon,
and may be called a part of it. These grena-
diers are furnished by the reinforcing pla-
toons and are known as trench cleaners.
Their function does not begin until the hostile
line is reached, and it is to clear out the
trenches of the first line of the enemy while
*
I
^^
] I
i
176 Trench Fighting
the assaulting troops continue their advance
in the open ground.
The reinforcing platoons are either deployed
in lines of skirmishers or lines of small columns.
These platoons constitute the line of reinforce-
ment and follow the advance of the assaulting
platoons at a distance of about forty to sixty
yards. The machine guns detailed to the
assaulting companies by the chief of battalion
are placed with the reinforcing platoons and
are usually carried on the flanks.
Considering the battalion as the assaulting
unit and adopting the term * * wave' * to designate
each platoon, we may say that the company
of the first echelon of the assault is disposed
in two waves. The position of the captain is
in front of the second wave between the two
reinforcing platoons. His liaison group re-
mains with him.
Supporting Companies. The supporting
companies of an assaulting battalion con-
stitute the second echelon. These companies,
also, are formed in two waves. These waves
are formed like those of the reinforcing pla-
toons of the assaulting company, either in
deployed" lines or in lines of small columns.
Usually the battalion has two companies in
the first line and two in the second line. In
other words, the battalion carries out the
Attack of a Position 177
assault in two echelons of two waves each,
the distance between the two echelons being
from 200 to 300 yards.
In rear of the support companies and
following their advance, are the remaining
machine guns of the battalion and the 37 mm.
platoon.
The position of the battalion conmiander
with his liaison group is directly in front of
the second echelon and between his support
companies.
Disposition of Assaulting Battalion in the
Departure Trenches. We have seen that for
an attack the ground is specially organized
for this purpose and the attacking troops are
disposed in successive parallels or places d^armes.
Usually this disposition is as follows :
The two waves of the assaulting companies
are placed in the first and second parallels
which under ordinary circumstances will be
the fire trench and cover trench of the first
defensive line. Consequently, the different
lines of each wave will occupy the same paral-
lel, but at the moment of the assault the suc-
cessive departures of the lines will permit them
to automatically gain the necessary distances
to separate them in the advance across ''No
Man's Land.*' For example , let us assume
that there are four lines (this is the maximtun)
12
178 Trench Fighting
placed in one parallel. The men are numbered
from I to 4 in successive groups of four each.
Each No. I man belongs to the first line;
each No. 2, to the second line, and so on.
The distance between similar ntimbers in the
parallels is about four paces, giving the proper
skirmish intervals to the line. At the given
signal of the leader of the line, the No. I's
go over the top. The No. 2*s follow at the
prescribed distance ordered or at another
signal given by their leader. The other lines
follow similarly, so that the assaulting troops
have the regulation interval in line and a pre-
scribed (not always regulation) distance in
depth.
The two waves of the support companies
are placed in a third parallel or place d'armes.
This third parallel is usually an intermediate
trench, or special work, executed for this pur-
pose, located between the first and second
defensive lines.
Machine guns and 37 nmi. guns are located
on the ground in relation to their places in the
advance during the attack.
The battalions which are kept as reserves
according to the plan of battle of the sector
commander, are disposed in places d'armes
organized behind the parallels of departure.
The colonel and his headquarters occupy a
Attack of a Position 179
command post directly behind the assaulting
battalion from where he can witness the
launching of the assault and the crossing of
"NoMan^sLand.'*
Order of the Attack. The attacking troops
take the disposition that has just been ex-
plained some days before the attack. This
disposition is laid down in a paragraph of the
Plan of Battle. Each leader of an attacking
unit, with a map of the ground on which his
area is specially outlined, must study his dis-
position on the ground previous to the arrival
of his troops. Besides this, the leaders must
pay special attention to the hostile position,
verifying the direction of the attack, and iden-
tifying the successive objectives and the nests
of resistance that will be encountered.
When the general who is in charge of the
attack judges that the artillery preparation
is sufficient, that the supply systems for the
attack are properly organized, that all is
ready and, in short, that the psychological
moment has arrived, he gives his order for the
axT/aciv.
Based upon the divisional order for the
attack, the colonels, battalion commanders,
and captains issue their own orders. The dif-
ference between the plan of battle and the
order for the attack lies in the fact that the
i8o Trench Fighting
latter fixes all the details of execution of the
general operations laid down in the former.
But also, the order for the attack contemplates
the first measures to be taken as soon as the
assault is carried out, especially the extension
of the liaisons (telephone lines) and communi-
cations (boyaux) from the first parallel of
departure up to the enemy's position.
The order for the attack contains precise
details of the following points:
Exact hour of the attack; or signal rocket
for the same.
Details of the successive objectives;
different resistances that will probably be
encountered.
Time-table of the moving barrage and the
rate of its advance.
Prolongation of the telephone lines;
particular wires to be extended.
Prolongation of communications; boyaux
to be built at night across '*No Man's
Land"; units detailed for this purpose.
Supply of ammunition and water in the
captured position; points of distribution.
Departure of the Assault [The hour (H) ].
We have now arrived at the most important
and critical moment of the battle, the hour (H)
of launching of the assault. A few minutes
before the hour (H) the men take the places
Attack of a Position i8i
assigned them in the parallels with strict
orders to remain there. Bayonets are fixed
on the rifles. Useless movements and noise
of any kind are prohibited. Each man holds
himself in readiness awaiting the signal of his
inmiediate chief. Each chief of unit himself
ascertains that his men are in readiness and
in good condition for the assault. He sends
all wounded back to shelter. The leader must
impress his men with the confidence that he
knows his duty, that he has foreseen and is
prepared to meet all circumstances of the
coming battle. The value of troops at this
moment depends upon their leaders.
Support Artillery. During the time just
preceding the hour (H) all the artillery which
does not execute counter-battery fire is em-
ployed to protect the assault. A part of this
artillery is given to each of the assaulting
battalions as support artillery. Liaison and
observation detachments are sent by this
artillery to the infantry battalions to which
they are attached. These detachments have
the same composition and r61e as explained
in the defense of a position.
The artillery support holds under its fire
that part of the hostile line assigned to its
infantry, battalion. A violent fire is espe-
cially directed against the enemy's first line,
i82 Trench Fighting
the objective of the assault. Protected by
this fire, the assaulting battalion moves for-
ward. For a few moments after the launch-
ing of the first waves over the top, this fire
remains on the enemy's first line. The pro-
tective barrage is then lifted and is established
on the hostile second line, where it also re-
mains for a certain time, according to the
barrage time-table, and so on.
Departure of the First Echelon (Assaulting
Companies). At the precise moment or sig-
nal the first wave of an assaulting company
jumps out of its parallel of departure, the differ-
ent lines of which it is composed being formed
as previously explained. In a similar manner,
as soon as the first wave is launched, the
second wave goes over the top of its parallel.
All the different lines of the different assault-
ing companies advance straight to the front
towards their first objective. The rate of
advance, although not a run, is as rapid as the
circumstances of the torn up ground of "No
Man's Land'* will permit, at the same time
maintenance of the formations being para-
mount. Success depends upon the proper
location of the specialists in the formations
of the waves, and this order must not be lost
in the confusion that results from too much
speed.
Attack of a Position 183
The result is that all the lines of the assault-
ing companies start almost at the same time
from the two parallels of departure, and with
shorter distances between the lines than that
called for by regulation. This formation is
not a drawback, but, on the contrary, works
to better advantage. The first and most im-
portant thing to avoid at this time is the defen-
sive barrage of the watchful enemy. This is
established as soon as he is aware of the
assault. If the reinforcing line follows closely
behind the line of combat, it has a better
chance of passing the danger zone before the
enemy's barrage is established. A company
caught under the enemy's barrage will lose,
on an average, fifty per cent, of its effectives.
Also, the assaulting companies must arrive in
the first hostile line as quickly as possible be-
hind their own barrage. The assaulting pla-
toons, who set the pace, should arrive there
almost ** as soon as the barrage lifts. " Troops
that arrive at this opportune moment will sur-
prise the enemy in his shelters or in the act of
taking his place on the firing line. It is better
to risk losing a few lives by your own barrage
than to give the enemy time to man his first
line.
Finally, the regulation distances between
the different lines and waves will be attained
i84 Trench Fighting
during the progress after passing the enemy's
first line.
Departure of the Second Echelon (Support-
ing Companies). When the first echelon,
or assaulting companies, have crossed ''No
Man's Land,*' the battalion commander
usually launches the second echelon, or sup-
porting companies. By this time, the bat-
talion commander, will have an impression of
the assault, and the distance which sepa-
rates the two echelons is at this moment
the one usually required (200 to 300
yards). In order to avoid the enemy's bar-
rage and to profit by any lull in his fire,
the battalion commander chooses the exact
moment for the departure of the second
echelon.
Advance of the Reserves. As soon as all
the waves of the assaulting battalion have
penetrated the enemy's position, the reserve
battalions of the regiment leave their places
(Tarmes and move forward through boyaux
to the first parallels of departure. In this
position they await the order of the colonel
to advance into the enemy's position to join
the combat for its conquest. The colonel
awaits the first report from his assaulting
battalion before giving the order for the
advance of the reserves.
Attack of a Position 185
in. Fighting in the Interior of the
Position and Exploitation
Principle of the Fighting. The funda-
mental principle of the fighting in the interior
of the position is that each attacking xinit from
the division down to the battalion receives a
definite objective. This objective is usually
an area containing the lines of the hostile posi-
tion with precise flanking limits. The farth-
est line in the objective area must be gained
by the units at all costs. Beyond this last
objective, strong reconnaissance parties and
patrols are sent to keep contact with the
enemy.
Usually the attacking regiments, which
carry out the struggle in the interior of the
position, are assigned the mission to capture
the third or covering line of the artillery.
The continuation of the struggle beyond this
line and the capturing of the enemy's guns
is what is called **the tactical exploitation of
the success. '* The troops that carry out this
operation are the reserves of the division held
out for this particular purpose. The plan
of battle does not include orders for this
action.
Details of the Interior Fightmg. Let us
follow an attacking regiment in its progress in
1 86 Trench Fighting
the interior of a hostile position, and consider
the use of the different echelons of which it is
composed: assaulting companies, reinforcing
companies, and reserves.
Assaulting Companies. The advance of
the assaulting platoons regulates the advance
of all the successive elements. These platoons,
after crossing the first hostile line, continue
their movement without hesitation. The
rate of advance is, of course, variable with
the difficulties of the ground and the strength
of the hostile organization. For this reason
it cannot be very rapid. The pace of the
leading elements of the assaulting coltmin is
foreseen in the plan of battle (depends upon
the strength of the enemy's position), and this
becomes the rate of advance of the moving
barrage. If no unforeseen and serious resist-
ance is encountered, the assaulting platoons
will be able to keep up with their protective
barrage. Sometimes, however, they may halt
for a moment in their progress under cover of
some shelter to regain their alignment.
As a part of the assaulting platoon comes
the trench-cleaner detachment. The trench
cleaners are armed with hand grenades and
trench knives. Their function is to enter the
hostile trenches taken and, profiting by the
surprise effect of the attack, to vanquish
Attack of a Position 187
the last resistance and to make prisoners of
the defenders still in the dugouts. They pay
special attention to picketing all entrances,
exits, and shafts of dugouts so that detach-
ments of the enemy cannot come out and fire
into the rear of the waves that have already
crossed. If the different lines of the hostile
platoon are very far apart, the number of
trench cleaners is increased, a dclachment
dropping off in each line.
As long as the assaulting platoons do not
meet resistance, the reinforcing platoons fol-
low the former at the regulation distance to
avoid ntiixing of the different waves of the
attack. If, however, the assaulting platoons
suffer severe losses, and are unable to continue
the progress, the reinforcing platoon, either by
order of the captain or upon the initiative of
its leader, moves up and reinforces the com-
bat line. Its function then becomes the same
as that of the assaulting platoon.
Again, if a gap should occur in the combat
line, due to losses or extension of the front,
the reinforcing platoon moves in that direc-
tion and fills the gap. In general, the tactics
of the reinforcing platoon are always to assure
continuity of progress by outflanking resist-
ances that have stopped the advance of the
platoon in front.
188 Trench Fighting
The madiine guns attached to an assaulting
unit follow and protect the flanks. When
halted they fire on retreating hostile troops and
on special points of resistance. Their special
use, however, is against counterattacks.
Reinforcing Conq)anies. The reinforcing
companies, with the machine gun reserve and
37 mm. gun of the assaulting battalion, after
they have penetrated the hostile position,
follow the progress of the assaulting waves
at the prescribed distance. They advance in
line of small colimins but make use of any
cover that the ground affords to minimize
losses from hostile fire. During this advance,
their mission is to rally all the elements of the
assaulting companies and push them forward ;
and also to watch out for the flanks, pushing
out to protect them on their own initiative if
necessary. But when the line of combat is
held up by resistance the supporting com-
panies are maneuvered by order of the battal-
ion commander. Naturally, the whole line of
combat will not progress uniformly. Certain
assaulting platoons will be held up by nests
of resistance, while others in the intervals will
carry on with less interruption. Reinforcing
platoons and support companies are maneu-
vered to outflank such nests of resistance and
to fill the resulting gaps in the combat line.
I89
I90 Trench Fighting
Let us take a concrete example of an as-
saulting company followed by a supporting
company held up by a nest of resistance (a
ravine, reverse slope, or woods strongly
organized with machine guns) and follow the
movements of the reinforcing platoons and
supporting company. (Examine the diagram
showing maneuvers against a nest of resist-
ance in connection with the following explana-
tion.) The first figure shows the formation of
the four platoons of an assaulting company
advancing in the interior of a position fol-
lowed by a supporting company. The ist
and 2nd are the assaulting platoons, and the
3rd and 4th the reinforcing platoons. The
supporting company follows in double column
of platoons. The second figure shows the
1st assaulting platoon held up by a nest
of resistance with the 3rd or reinforcing pla-
toon moved up on the right flank. Platoons
2 and 4 of the same company carry on, and
this movement results in a gap in the line of
combat between the 2nd and 3rd platoons.
The third figure shows the ist and 2nd
platoons of the supporting company moved up
in this gap, and the 3rd and 4th platoons act-
ing as reserves. The nest of resistance is
thus attacked from the front and flank and
the continuity of the combat line maintained.
Attack of a Position '■ i^i
When a nest of resistance is encountered
the attacking troops must not accumulate in
front, as this will multiply the losses. The
line of combat will attack the front of a nest
of resistance while the successive reinforcing
and supporting waves maneuver against its
flanks. The battalion commander will use all
the weapons stt his disposal as machine guns,
37 mm. guns, and rifle grenades to reduce
the nest of resistance. If this method fails
he will have to call on the artillery for help,
but this necessitates a modification of the
artillery barrage time-table.
Rdle of the Artillery during the Attack.
During the attack the artillery carries out the
following different fires:
Counter-battery fire.
Protective fire on the flanks of the attack.
Accompaniment or barrage fire.
The first two fires are executed by a part of
the artillery directly under the chief of artil-
lery of the division, who in turn is under the
control of the general.
The third kind of fire is executed by the
support artillery, detailed to the different
assaulting battalions as in the defensive organ-
ization. The action of this artillery directly
interests each infantry chief of area, to whom
are sent liaison detachments and observers
192 Trench Fighting
(an officer, N. C. O.'s, and artillery orderlies).
This third kind of fire is the only one that we
will consider in detail.
Principle of the Accompaniment Fire.
During the progress of the attack the support
artillery establishes a moving barrage in front
of the advancing infantry. This barrage
travels by bounds. It remains for a certain
time on each defensive line and at intervals
between them so as to thoroughly sweep the
intervening groxmd. The time-table, or rate
of this moving barrage, is laid down in the
plan of action of the artillery. The infantry
leaders of course are acquainted with this time-
table.
Other Means of Controlling the Barrage.
The moving barrage may also be advanced
successively by order of the commanding
general according to information received
from the leading elements of the assaulting
battalion, from the artillery or aeroplane
observers.
Calls may be made directly from the line of
combat by rockets, or other means of liaison.
With reference to the barrage there are two
uses of rockets; one is for calling the barrage
in the defensive, and the other is calling for
an advance of the barrage during the attack.
It may be remarked that it is impossible to
Attack of a Position 193
call for a decrease in range of the barrage as
this, of course, would be dangerous to your own
troops. It is better to decrease the rate of
advance of the barrage rather than to have it
move too quickly and risk abandoning the
infantry.
Lastly, the preceding means for controlling
the barrage can be employed in conjunction.
That is to say, a time-table for the barrage is
adhered to dtuing the first part of the advance
when the positions of the hostile lines are well
known, while during the last part, when the
infantry's progress is not so regular and the
•ground is not so well known, each advance of
the barrage may be called for by rocket, as
each resistance met with is disposed of. If
an assaulting battalion meets a resistance
which it cannot reduce by its own means, it
must call upon the support artillery for help.
To do this, the artillery must halt its barrage
and for an interval the time-table is not in
effect. Such an emergency calls for a special
action on the part of the support artillery, and
also for the intervention of any other artillery
at the disposal of the general. This particular
action of the artillery may be called for auto-
matically by rocket or by the other means of
liaison. The r61e of the officer and N. C. O.
of the artillery liaison detachment is to give
13
194 Trench Fighting
the artillery the precise technical information
necessary in such a case to establish its fire
on a nest of resistance. This action of halt-
ing the barrage and giving the artillery a new
objective is exceptional and delicate to exe-
cute. As soon as the resistance is reduced,
the time-table is resumed.
Liaisons During the Attack. The proper
co-ordination of all the foreseen developments
of the attack lies in a good system of liaison.
There must be leadership liaison for the trans-
mission of orders and reports, and infantry-
artillery liaison for the proper co-operation of
the two arms. The means of liaison in the
offensive are the same as those considered in
the defensive organization. The principle of
their use is the same but made more difficult
by the progress of the different attacking
echelons. It is the duty of all leaders to fore-
see the establishment of liaison for the en-
gagement in their plan of battle, and also for
the prolongation of these means with the
advance of the attacking troops.
The means of liaison are :
Telephone lines (for leadership in artillery.
They are lengthened from the parallel of
departure to the interior of the enemy's
position.)
Signal communication (established from
Attack of a Position 195
the enemy's position to a central point in
the rear).
Rockets (precise signification of each kind
laid down in orders).
Carrier pigeons (headquarters that are to
carry these laid down in orders).
Detachment of special runners (essential to
be established between all units).
Aviation. During the advance, a particular
system of liaison is established with the air
service. Each division has at its disposal a
certain number of accompanying planes that
fly low and follow the assaulting battalions.
Their duty is to establish communication
between the leading elements of the advancing
infantry, and the artillery, and the command-
ing general. The infantry signal to these air-
planes by means of rockets and Bengal fires,
and the planes in turn communicate with the
artillery and the commanding general by
means of wireless.
CHAPTER Vn
TRENCH ORDERS
The following outline gives a synopsis of
information required in various paragraphs
for Battalion Orders in Trench Warfare, fol-
lowed by models of each.
Six orders are given in these models, viz.:
I. Plan of Attack.
II. Order for the Attack.
Ill* Preliminary Order for a Relief.
IV. March Order for Relief.
V. Plan of Advance.
VI. A Raid.
I. Plan of Attack
(Issued several days before attack)
1. Rdle of Battalion, i. e., general de-
scription of offensive and whether battalion
is in first line or reserve.
2. Zone of Attack. Accurate description
of boundaries of hostile position to be attacked.
196
Trench Orders 197
J. Objectives. Number of trenches to be
assaulted and trench at which offensive will
halt.
4. Disposition for the Attack. Companies
in assaulting line — companies in support —
apportionment of objectives to companies —
distance between assaulting and supporting
companies — disposition of M. G. Co. and 37
mm. gun — ^location of battalion C. O. during
assault.
5. Disposition of Units in Parallels of
Departure. Describe accurately trenches each
unit will start from: e. g. Assaulting Cos. — '
first line and cover trenches. Supporting Cos.
— intermediate trenches or places d'armes
nearby starting points of battalion C. O.,
M. G. Co. and 37 mm. gun.
6. Direction of the Attack. Lan dmark to
guide on, also compass direction.
7. Tactical Relation with Neighboring
Units. Troops on flanks of battalion and
responsibility for liaison therewith. Patrol-
ling to establish connection if necessary.
8. Artillery Support during Attack. Bar-
rage to start at hour H. Where and how long
it will halt beyond the last objective.
9. Liaison during Attack. Usual liaison
with artillery and aeroplanes — telephone lines
to be established during attack — signals
193 Trench Fighting
such as Bengal lights to show progress of
assaulting companies.
10. Supply. Detachments (usually from
supporting companies) to carry anmixmition.
Hour at which and points from which they will
start.
11. Evacuation. Evacuation point for
wounded and assembly point for prisoners.
Details not stated in this order. Time of
attack — detailed instructions for barrage.
Liaison to be established after attack — equip-
ment to be taken. Information of the enemy
not given as all officers have maps of enemy's
trenches as well as of their own trench system.
n. Order for the Attack
(Issued night before attack is to be made)
1. Time; i. e., hour H.
2. Further details of assault than given in
previous order.
3. Further details concerning barrage,
i. e.y Halts to be made by barrage — rate of
travel.
4. Liaison to be established after attack.
5. Supplies to be carried.
Trench Orders 199
in. Preliminary Order for a Relief
(Issued night before reconnaissance; L e,
24 to 36 hours before relief)
1 . (Based on regimental order.) Battalion
to be relieved — Sector.
General Description of Sector: Centers of
resistance — troops in each — troops on right
and left of sector — ^reserve-command post of
Colonel, Command Post of artillery support
Commander.
Note: Battalion needs know no more
about artillery support than location of com-
mand post. Details as to location of guns are
not given out.
2. Disposition of Battalion in Center.
Accurate description of: First line and units
occupying it — intermediate line and units
occupying it — support line and units oc-
cupying it — Battalion Command post —
stations of machine gun company— dressing
station.
3. Hour at which usual reconnaissance
will be completed — each oflScer to reconnoiter
area assigned him in 2.
4. Hour at which Major will assume com-
mand of center of resistance.
200 Trench Fighting
IV. Order for the March of the Relief
(Issued after reconnaissance and several
hours before relief starts)
1. Dispersion point fixed by Colonel —
Battalion's place in regiment — hour at which
battalion clears dispersion point.
2. Relief to be made as per preceding
order. Order of march of units in battalion.
Routes to be followed and fonnation taken
from dispersion point to point of rendezvous
of guides.
3. Hour at which the guides will be at
rendezvous. Location of rendezvous. Routes
by which guides will conduct various xmits
to their places.
4. Hour and place ration details will
report to N. C. O. from battalion head-
quarters to go to kitchens for rations.
Hour at which daily requests for mate-
rial and anmiunition will reach Major.
Whether Major has depot to fill emergency
requests.
5. Reports to be submitted by Captains.
Usually written report upon occupation of area
and daily reports submitted at same time as
requests for material.
Trench Orders 201
V. Plan of Defense
1. Direction and nature of probable at-
tacks.
2. Plan of Defense of center. Duties of
first line Companies. Orders for machine
guns. Platoons to support machine guns.
3. Counterattack. Platoons for counter-
attack — their routes — ^reinf orcing platoons to
replace them.
4. Artillery Support. To establish bar-
rage in **No Man's Land'* at usual (rocket) call.
5. Supply. Extra grenades or ammuni-
tion to be carried by counterattack or rein-
forcing platoons.
VI. A Raid
1. Date, hour, objective, and purpose of
raid.
2. Composition of and company furnish-
ing raiding party.
3. Assistance to Raiders — ^Details of Ex-
ecution of Raid: e, g., Grenadiers to protect
flanks. Objective. Direction of attack. Pre-
paration of explosives to destroy enemy's
wire. Rock«t signal for blowing up wire,
rush of raiders and start of artillery or rifle
202 Trench Fighting
grenade barrage. Duration of raid. Direc-
tion and return of raiders.
4. Duration and location of barrage.
5. Supplies. Raid is generally made by
men from an organization in rear (support or
reserve). Captain of first line company
provides the material: Grenades, tools, ex-
plosives, rockets, etc.
I. Plan of Attack
1st Bn. 3rd Inf. 47th Div.,
Bn. Command Post,
I Nov. 17, 2 p. m.
Field Orders
No. 7
Map
Berry-Au-Bac, N. O.
1 . Rdle. In the attack this Bn. will be in
the first line. It will attack the west slope of
the ENCLUME WOOD in a general offensive
in conjunction with the Bns. on both flanks.
2. Zone of Attack. The zone of attack will
be limited as follows: On the left by the road
from TEMPLE FARM to CORBENY (ex-
clusive), on the right by the imaginary line
marked by the points, boyau ST. POL, point
6909 (first German line), point 7109 (cover
Trench Orders 203
trench, first line) hill 69.2 point 7216 (Ger-
man support line) and topographical point
78.8, all these points inclusive.
3. Objectives, ist. First German line,
PLAINE trench. 2nd. Cover trench,
ENVER PASHA trench. 3rd. Support
trenches, L*ENCLUME trench on the east
and MARTEAU trench on the west.
On this last objective the assaulting com-f
panics will halt, maintaining contact with
the enemy by means of contact patrols,
especially on the right front towards the
FORGERON WOOD and the west edge of
the L'ENCLUME WOOD.
4. Disposition for the Attack. The Bn.
will attack with two Cos. in the assaulting line
and two Cos. in support. Assaulting Cos.
(A and B) will take the usual assaulting dis-
position. Each Co. will be reinforced by a
M. G. platoon.
The zones of action of the assaulting Cos.
will be divided by the line: Point 6502 (ANS-
PACH trench), point 6606 (in the BONNET
PERSAN WOOD), and the boyau PAR-
SEVAL from point 6712 to point 6919. All
these points to be included by the left Co.
The distance between assaulting Cos. (A &
B), and supporting Cos. (C & D) will be 300
yards.
204 Trench Fighting
The remaining sections of M. G. Co. and
the 37 mm. gtm will follow the left support-
ing Co. (C) at 100 yards.
The Bn. C. O. will be located in front of the
reinforcing companies to the left of the center,
on the general axis of march, the boyau
PARSEVAL.
5. Disposition of Units in Parallel of
Departure. The assaulting Cos. will use for
their parallels of departure the fire and cover
line trenches between the boyau ST. POL and
LIEVIN (inc.).
The supporting Cos. will use for their paral-
lels of departure the ANSPACH trench, and
the places d'armes built in rear of this trench
and on each side of the boyau ST. OMER and
ST. POL.
The Bn. C. 0. with his headquarters, will
start from the point of intersection of the
ANSPACH trench and the ST. OMER
boyau.
The M. G. reserve and 37 mm. gun are
located in the 520 M. trench.
6. Direction of the Attack. The general
direction of the attack is on the R. R. station
at south edge of CORBENY, compass direc-
tion N. 10*" E.
7. Tactical Relation with Neighboring
Units. Left: connecting with 2nd Bn. 3rd
Trench Orders 205
Inf. on the road. Permanent liaison will be
assured by the assaulting Cos.
Right: connection with 2nd Inf. at the
points 6909 and 7216.
The right supporting Co. will take a forma-
tion in echelon with the right element refused,
this latter element establishing connection
with the troops to the right during the ad-
vance.
Reconnoitering patrols will also establish
connection with the troops on the right in the
L'ENCLUME WOOD.
8. Artillery Support during Attack. The
assaulting waves will be protected by a mov-
ing barrage which will start at the hour (H).
The moving barrage will halt and remain on
the line 200 yards beyond the last objective
at the hour (H plus 50 minutes).
9. Liaison during Attack. Usual liaison
with the artillery and airplanes (rockets and
flags).
As soon as the assaulting Cos. arrive in or
halt before the third objective, a telephone
liaison will be established between the Co.
conmianders and the Bn. commander.
A Bengal line of Are will be lighted by the
assaulting Cos. when they reach the 2nd and
the 3rd objectives.
10. Supply. Each supporting Co. will send
^o6 Trench Fighting
a party of ten men to the TEMPLE FARM
as supply detachments. These detachments
will start with ammunition supply at the hour
(H plus I hour) for the command posts oi the
assaulting Cos. in the captured position.
II. Evacuatioa. Evacuation point for
wounded will be at RIVOLI CENTER
(northeast edge of DE BEAU MARAIS
WOOD). Assembly point for prisoners will be
at TEMPLE FARM.
Major, 3rd Inf.,
Bn. Comdr.
n. Order for the Attack
1st. Bn. 3rd Inf. 47th Div.,
Bn. Command Post,
4 Nov. 17. 7 p. m.
Field Orders
No. 8
Map.
Berry Au Bag N. O.
1. In accordance with Field Orders #7,
these headquarters, the attack will be made
at the hour (H).
H = 10 : 30 A. M.
2. The three objectives of the attack are:
Trench Orders 207
ist, PLAINE trench; 2nd, ENVER PASHA
trench; 3rd, L'ENCLUME and MARTEAU
trenches.
For the capture of these three objectives
the plan of the Bn. commander is as follows:
The assaulting Cos., after taking the ist
and 2nd objectives will proceed to the attack
of the 3rd objective, while the mopping up
parties clean up the captured trenches. As
the assaulting Cos. leave the 2nd objective,
the Bn. commander will give the order for the
supporting Cos. to start, in order that they
will reach the and objective at the same time
the assaulting Cos. reach the 3rd. In case
the assaulting Cos. are compelled to stop be-
fore reaching the 3rd objective, the Bn. com-
mander will use the supporting Cos. to out-
flank the nest of resistance expected to be
encountered in L'ENCLUME wood.
3. The moving barrage will halt ib nrin-
utes immediately in rear of the 2nd objective
and 10 minutes on the 3rd objective. With
the exception of these halts the barrage will
move at a uniform rate of 20 yards per
minute. i
4. As soon as the Bn. commander reaches
the point 6919 a telephone liaison will be
established from the starting point in th^
ANSPACH trench to point 6919.
208 Trench Fighting
From point 6919 a signal liaison will be
established with the artillery observation post
in the EDMOND BUTTE.
5. The supply detachments will carry 400
hand grenades, 50 illuminating and 50 signal
rockets.
Major 3rd Inf.,
Bn. Comdr.
in. Preliminary Order for a Relief
Order for the Occupation of a Center of
Resistance
Field Orders 3rd Bn. 8oth Inf.
No. 5. I Nov. 17. 6 p. m,
I. In accordance with orders of the regi-
mental commander, the 80th Inf. will relieve
the 132nd Inf. in the TEMPLE sector during
the night 2-3 Nov. 17.
In this sector two Bns. are in the first line
in the centers of resistance BONNET PER-
SAN WOOD and PINS BUTTE.
The 3rd Bn. 80th Inf. will occupy the BON-
NET PERSAN WOOD center, which is
limited on the east by the ST. POL boyau
Trench Orders 209
(inclusive) and on the west by the TEM-
PLE FARM-CORBENY road (exclusive)
which road is the dividing line between the
two centers.
Adjoining units:
On the right the 45th Inf., occupying
EPINAL sector.
On the left the ist Bn., 8oth Inf., occupying
PINS BUTTE center.
In reserve, 2nd Bn., 8oth Inf., in the
BEAU MARAIS WOOD.
Command post of the regimental command-
er (sector commander), TEMPLE FARM.
Command post of the artillery support
commander (72nd A. C), EDMOND BUTTE.
2. Disposition of the Bn. in the BONNET
PERSAN WOOD center.
In the first line : Co. A in the firing and doub-
ling trench (Baden trench) between the ST.
POL and BONNET PERSAN boyaux (both
inclusive), Co. C in the same firing and doub-
ling trench between the BONNET PERSAN
boyau (exclusive) and the LIEVIN boyau
(inclusive).
In the intermediate line (ANSPACH
trench) : Co. B and the detachment of pioneers.
In the support line (520 M trench) : Co. D
and Bn. Hq.
. Conamand post of the Bn. Cmdr. (Com-
14
2IO Trench Fighting
manderof the center), Command post of ST.
OMER (in the ST. OMER boyau).
Three sections of the M. G. Co. will relieve
same nimibered sections of the relieved Co.
in the different lines of the center. The
remainder of the M. G. Co. with the 37 m.m.
gun will be kept as Bn. reserve in the 520 M
trench.
Dressing station: in the 520 M trench at
the intersection with ST. OMER boyau,
3. The reconnaissance for the relief will
be made early in the morning of 2 Nov. 17
(usual composition) and will be completed at
10 a. m. Each officer will reconnoiter the
area assigned to him in this order. ^
4. After the relief the Bn. Cmdr. will as-
sume command of the center at 6 a. m.
3 Nov. 17.
Major 80th Inf.,
Bn. Cmdr.
IV. Order for the March of the Relief
Field Orders
No. 6.
3rd Bn., 80th Inf.,
2 Nov. 17. — 12 o'clock. noon.
I . In accordance with orders of Regimental
Commander, the dispersion point of -the regi-
ment for entering the TEMPLE FARM sec-
Trench Orders 211
tor will be PONTAVERS. This Bn. will be
the first Bn. to leave. It will clear PONTA-
VERS at 5 p. m.
2. The occupation of the BONNET
PERSAN WOOD center will be made in ac-
cordance with Field Orders No. 5, these head-
quarters. The order of march of the Bn. will
be: Co. A, Co. C, Bn. Hq., C. B., Dtch. Pio-
neers, Co. D, Mach. Gun Co. and 37 mm. gun.
The march from PONTAVERS to HALTE
will be via the CORBENY road in colimin of
squads with 200 yards distance between cos.
From HALTE to point of rendezvous of the
guides the Bn. will march along the right of
R. R. track in coltmin of twos with 200 yards
distance between cos.
3. The usual guides will be sent from the
relieved Bn. to be at the point of rendezvous
by 6 o'clock p. m. The point of rendezvous
of the guides will be south of EDMOND
BUTTE at the intersection of the COR-
BENY road and the R. R. track.
From this point the cos. will be conducted
by the guides to their respective positions in
the trenches. . Cos. A, B, and Pioneer Dtch.
will use for their route the ST. POL boyau.
Cos. C, D, Bn. Hq., M. G. Co. and 37 mm.
gun will use for their route the ST. OMER
boyau.
212 Trench Fighting
4. At 7 o'clock p. m. each night on and
after 3 Nov. 17, the ration details from each
organization will report at the point of ren-
dezvous of the guides to a N. C. O. from Bn.
Hq. who will conduct them to the kitchens
at PONTAVERS for rations. Requests for
material and ammunition will be sent to the
Bn. Cmdr. every jnoming to reach him be-
fore 6:30 o'clock a.m. Emergency requests
made at other times will be filled as far as
possible from the Bn. Cmdr*s depot.
5. Company commanders will make a
written report to Bn. Cmdr. as soon as they
have occupied their areas, and thereafter will
make .daily reports to be submitted with their
requests of material.
Major 8oth Inf.,
Bn. Cmdr. '
V. Plan of Defense
1st Bn., 20th Inf., 43rd Div.,
Bn. Command Post,
29 Nov. 17, 2 o'clock p. m.
Field Orders
No. 10
Map.
Berry-au-Bac N. 0.
I. Direction of Probable Attack. The
enemy may possibly make a frontal attack
Trench Orders 213
starting from PLAINE and ENVER PASHA
troches and supporting it on the left from
L'ENCLUME WOOD, or a flank attack start-
ing from PLAINE redoubt for the purpose of
striking our first line and ANSPACH trench
from the rear by first penetrating the sector on
our right.
2. Defense of the Center of Resistance.
When the assault developes Cos. A. and C. in
the first line, will maintain the defense of their
own line by their own means. The two ma-
chine guns located at 6501 ANSPACH trench
will be taken immediately to the right flank
of Co. A, near POSTE DE NEMOURS and
take up a position to fire to the north toward
L^ENCLUME WOOD and to the east to-
ward PLAINE redoubt. The C. O., Co. B,
will place a platoon permanently in the ST.
POL boyau at the junction of the ANSPACH
trench, and, when the alarm is given will send
it forward to occupy and hold the POSTE
DE NEMOURS saUent in support of the M.
G. Platoon. When this platoon has moved
forward, its place will be taken by i Platoon of
Co. B, (located in ANSPACH trench be-
tween the ST. POL and BONNET PERSAN
boyaux) which will protect the right flank.
3. Counterattack. The two remaining
Platoons of Co. B are assigned to the com-
214 Trench Fighting
manders of Cos. A and C respectively for use in
cotmterattack. One Platoon will employ the
BONNET PERSAN boyau, the other the
LIEVIN boyau. The Bn. Cmdg. will replace
these two Platoons by two Platoons of Co. D,
in the 520 M. trench.
4. Artillery Support. The supporting ar-
tillery will establish a barrage in No Man's
Land in front of the first line. The barrage
will be called by the usual signal.
5. Supply. The counterattack and rein-
forcing Platoons will carry 5 grenades per man
in addition to their regular equipment.
Major 20th Inf.,
Bn. Cmdg.
VI. Order for a Raid
Field Orders
No. 12 1st Bn., 80th Inf.,
Bn. Command Post,
10 Nov., '17, 2 p. m.
*
1. At 3 o'clock a. m., 20 Nov., '17, a raid
will be carried out against the western sali-
ent of PLAINE TRENCH for the purpose of
capturing prisoners.
2. The raiding party will consist of a
Trench Orders 215
lieutenant, 10 hand grenadiers, and 20 rifle-
men from Co. D, 80th Inf.
3. Two parties of grenadiers each will be fur-
nished from the same Co. to protect the flanks
of the raiding party on each side of the sal-
ient. The raiding party will penetrate the
enemy's first line by a frontal attack, capture
the defenders of the salient and return directly
by the same route. The raiding party will
crawl into **No Man's Land" in front of the
PLAINE salient until it reaches the enemy's
barbed wire and will prepare detonators for
the necessary breaches. The signal to ex-
plode the detonators and rush into the salient
will be given by the leader of the raid by
rocket. The raid will last ten minutes.
4. For ten minutes after the rocket signal
the artillery will maintain a barrage on the
flanks and in the rear of the PLAINE salient
to protect the raiding party.
5. Co. C, which occupies the first line in
front of the PLAINE salient, will provide a
supply cf 60 detonators, 200 hand grenades,
and 3 signal rockets for use of the raiding
party.
Major 80th Inf.,
Bn. Cmdr.
CHAPTER Vm
SPECIAL OPERATIONS
I. Raids
The object of a raid is to attack a special
point in the hostile lines, destroy it, and return
with prisoners or information. Such a point
may be a salient, blockhouse, observation or
listening post, etc. The purpose of the raid
is both to prosecute the attrition of the enemy
and to gather information. A raid is made
with or without a previous artillery prepara-
tion. Usually, however, the barbed wire en-
tanglements of the enemy are subjected to a
short and intense artillery shelling. Whether
or not an artillery bombardment is carried out,
the tactics of the raid are the same. Sue-
cess of a raid depends entirely on its prepara-
tion, which must be thorough and complete
in every detail so that every man in the raid
knows his part.
Preparation. The troops employed for a raid
are a specially chosen unit, a platoon or half-
216
A, M Machine guns to 5wecp flanks of
raided section.
B Group of rifle gren^dier^ io bomb
enemy machine gvn b.
C, D Groi/p5 of rifle grenadiers to bomb
trench intersections Vond "d!*
C, K Groups of hand <grenadiers to
rriovc forward and establish
grenade barricades at Vond V
17 H Trench cleaners whose objective
is the du^-out "f "-'h!
G Trench cleaners to capture men
in listening post y
RAID AGAINST A HOSTILE: POINT
217
2i8 Trench Fighting
company. Better still, a regiment may have
a detachment specially trained in this work.
When a raid has been decided upon against a
particular point in the hostile line, the leader
of the raid has the following duties to perform :
I. He goes to the command post of the
center of resistance opposite to the point in
the enemy's line against which the raid is to
be made. Here he gathers all necessary in-
formation concerning the enemy by studying
maps and sketches, and comparing them with
the ground. He also speaks with occupants
of the first line for the purpose of getting in-
formation; and calls upon the commander of
the center of resistance to send special listen-
ing parties, if necessary, to the enemy's line,
observing necessary precautions to prevent
the enemy from becoming suspicious of a con-
templated raid.
From the detailed information, maps and
sketches that the leader of the raid has ob-
tained from the headquarters of the center of
resistance and from his own reconnaissance,
he lays out a model of the hostile point to be
attacked. This he does in the rear of his own
sector. The model is partially dug in so that
the raiding detachment will have an exact
duplicate of the enemy's lines to be raided to
practice upon.
special Operations 219
He now prepares the order for the execution
of the raid, which contains the following points :
1. Purpose of the Raid. To destroy such
and such a dugout, machine gun emplacement,
etc., to make prisoners, to gather information,
or to prevent a contemplated gas attack on
the part of the enemy.
2. Troops Employed. Number and desig-
nation of the different groups of grenadiers
and trench cleaners to be used, equipment of
same, and ammunition carried.
3. Objective of the Raid. The particular
part of a trench, post, blockhouse, etc.
4. Precise Rdle of Each Group : Disposi-
tion of the groups before the raid in their own
lines. This may be in the firing line or in
*' No Man's Land'* in a shell hole reached by
crawling at night.
Time and signal of departure.
M^ns of crossing the enemy's barbed wire-
entanglements.
Points of the hostile line upon which each
group is to make its attack.
R61e of each group during the raid. Pro-
tection of the flank, establishing barricades,
proper execution of the raid.
Time or signal to return.
5. Co-operation of the infantry and artil-
lery supporting the raid.
220. Trench Fighting
6. Supply of the attacking troops — gren-
ade depots in the firing line.
In practicing the raid in the rear, on the
model, the detachment must repeat the execu-
tion of the raid at least five times. All the
details of the raid are foreseen and provided
for. Each man is made thoroughly proficient
in his particular part in the raid, so that, in
the confusion and darkness, they will be able
to reach their objective and carry out their
particular function. Each chief of group
must be thoroughly conversant with his duties.
The leader of the raid personally conducts
the most important of these groups.
Execution of the Raid. The most import-
ant element of the execution of a raid is speed,
its time of duration being only from five to
ten minutes.
Time. If all the points in the enemy's line
to be attacked are thoroughly known and
located, the raid can be carried out during the
night. But if there is some lack of knowledge
of the above mentioned points, the raid must
be carried out at dusk or dawn, so that the
objectives can be at least partly seen.
Disposition of the Groups to Cross the
Barbed Wire ; Disposition of the Troops before
the Raid. The distance of a raid should not
be more than fifty yards. For this purpose.
special Operations 221
the different groups must get into position such
a distance from the enemy's lines either by
silently crawling across "No Man's Land*' or
by profiting by a short preliminary bombard-
ment of a few minutes which will prevent
the enemy's sentinels and watchers from
perceiving them. * Their disposition is usu-
ally made by hiding or crouching in shell
holes.
Destruction of the Barbed Wire. The differ-
ent ways of destroying barbed wire have been
spoken of under Surprise Attacks in the chap-
ter on Defense of a Position.
Signal of Departure. Three methods can
be used; previous designation of the hour, use
of a whistle, or by means of a rocket. Of
these, the last named is probably the best.
There are two different kinds of groups in
the raiding party.
The flank groups, armed with hand gren-
ades, protect the groups executing the raid
proper by shutting off all avenues of approach
of the enemy. Barricades are established by
these groups by throwing grenades into the
trenches leading to the attacked area.
Between the flank groups, are the groups
that carry out the proper mission of the raid.
They are armed with incendiary grenades,
pistols, and trench knives. Their function
222 Trench Fighting
is to accomplish any particular destruction
of their mission and to capture prisoners.
Infantry Supporting the Raid. The rifle-
men of the garrison of the center of resistance
stand ready at the firing parapets to receive
the groups returning from the raid. The
machine guns carry out annntense fire on the
flanks of the point raided to prevent the ap-
proach of hostile reinforcements. The rifle
grenadiers of the garrison execute fire upon
special points on the flanks or on the rear of the
raided area, such as machine gun emplace-
ments, junction of boyaux, etc.
Support of the Artillery. If artillery is
used in conjunction with the raid, it may be
employed before, during, or after the raid, or
in any combination of these periods.
During the raid, two kinds of fire are carried
out, that of demolishing the barbed wire en-
tanglements, and special elements of the hos-
tile position that will hinder the raid. This is
carried out by the light artillery and trench
mortars, principally the latter.
During the raid, the support artillery es-
tablishes protective curtains of fire on both
flanks and on the rear of the raided portion of
the enemy's line. This is to neutralize the
enemy's defenses and to cut the area off from
communications or reinforcements. In other
special Operations 223
words, the artillery will isolate by its fire the
point of attack of the raid.
At the designated time for the return of the
raid or at the signal of a rocket sent up by the
raiding party on reaching their own first line,
the support artillery establishes its usual de-
fensive barrage in ' * No Man's Land. ' ' It may
also fire on the enemy's position with shrapnel,
because at this time reinforcements are usually
coming up into the raided area. This latter
fire may be repeated two or three times during
the ensuing hour.
n. Gas Warfare
Gas attacks may be carried out in two ways,
by asphyxiating shells or by waves of gas.
The shelling of a position with asphyxiating
shells is made to neutralize the action of its
defenders and, if possible, to kill and wound
some of them. Asphy^ating shells are used
in counter-battery fire against the enemy's
artillery emplacements. They are also used
for shelling a woods in which troops are located
and against strong points of the hostile posi-
tion, either during an offensive period or to
carry out attrition of the enemy. Such shell-
ing is also carried out for an offensive, either
in the preparation or for the protection of the
224 Trench Fighting
flanks during the attack. Asphj^ating shells
may be thrown on a village or strong point in
rear or on the flank of the enemy's position
where he may organize a counterattack.
Gas waves are used against the enemy's
position with or without following up with the
infantry for a raid or an attack. Usually the
liquified gas is brought to the first lines in
cylinders under heavy pressure. These cylin-
ders must be properly protected from hostile
fire until the time that they are to be used.
With a favorable wind, the gas is carried
across * ' No Man's Land * ' and into the enemy's
position. Gas waves, of course, are more
efficient than asphyxiating shells, but the use
of the former method is more difficult as it
takes special apparatus and a trained per-
sonnel, and can be used only imder favorable
atmospheric conditions.
Protections against Gas. In general, pro-
tective measures against gas waves are the
same as against asphyxiating shells. The
individual protective apparatus is the gas
mask. The essential part of a mask is com-
posed of several layers of porous material
containing a chemical that will neutralize the
poisonous gas. The gas mask has an efficiency
of several hours. Each man carries a gas
mask and there are also a certain number kept
special Operations 225
in reserve in the different depots of the sector.
Each gas mask must be properly adjusted and
it is the duty of each officer and non-com-
missioned officer to ascertain that each man
in the company has a gas mask in good con-
dition. He must always carry the same.
Each man is trained to put on his mask
rapidly. Standing orders compel the man to
put on his gas mask immediately the alartti is
given or upon his detection of gas by color or
odor. Frequent exercises are held to perfect
the men in putting on their gas masks rapidly.
This drill may be held at the same time as the
"stand to*' exercises are carried out. The
men must have confidence in their gas masks.
For this purpose, each man is sent through a
^'chlorine chamber" several times to give him
confidence that, although the gas may be of
great density, it has no disagreeable effects.
There are also collective protective appara-
tuses used in dugouts. Each large shelter
possesses such apparatus. Besides this, the
entrances and openings of each dugout will be
closed by a double canvas impregnated with
a special chemical solution to neutralize the
gas.
Special Precautionaiy Measures. First,
there is established a system of bells, sirens,
and klaxons which are used by the watchers
IS
226 Trench Fighting
to give the signal of alarm. This signal is taken
up and repeated in all parts of the position and
to the rear. Careful observation on the part
of a garrison may detect signs of a coming gas
attack. Metallic noises in the hostile line
may indicate the transportation of gas cylin-
ders. Very often the enemy will use little
balloons to ascertain the velocity and direc-
tion of the wind. Foggy weather is a special
time of danger.
In each sector or regiment, an officer is in
charge of the maintenance of protective gas
apparatus and all the measures against gas
attack. With the proper precautionary meas-
ures and application of the protective meas-
ures, the gas attack is not very dangerous.
HI. Liquid Fire
V
Protection against Liquid Fire. The ene-
my may make an assault with a special de-
tachment of liquid fire operators in the first
line. The object of these operators is to
throw jets of liquid fire on the occupants of the
first line to allow the assaulting columns to
penetrate into the position without losses.
The only means of combating such an attack
is to evacuate the part of the trenches against
which the liquid fire is directed, and move by
228 Trench Fighting
the flanks. Machine guns and automatic rifles
should be established to bring flanking fire to
bear against the detachment of liquid fire
operators. It is impossible to withstand a
liquid fire attack if the operators succeed in
coming within sixty yards before the garrison
can man its parapets.
IV. Mines
We will consider mines only from the point
of view of defense by infantry against th«n.
This' consideration will therefore have no
relation to mine warfare or the construction
of countermines by engineers.
Let us consider a concrete example where
the enemy is about to explode a mine under
yotir first line of trenches (examine accom-
panjdng diagram, Precautions against a Mine).
When it has been definitely discovered that
the enemy has a mine gallery under your first
line and there is no means of combating it by
countermining, etc., the infantry in the
position must take certain precautions. By
listening devices the powder chamber is
located. The extent of the crater is also
calculated. A new first line is constructed
behind, excluding the mine crater and at a
distance of about 30 yards from its lip. This
special Operations 229
re-entrant angle of the first line is made
by using boyaux on the flank if they exist.
A cover trench is also constructed behind
this first line. The infantry moves back
to this new line behind the threatened
area of explosion. Every other defensive
precaution is taken against the explosion
and the accompanying assault of the
• enemy.
Heavy bombing posts are located on the
flanks of the crater. The position of these
posts is usually at the point of change of
direction of the old firing Une with the new
one of the re-entrant angle. Dugouts may be
constructed close to these bombing posts for
the protection of the grenadiers during the
explosion. Immediately the explosion is over,
these grenadiers man their posts and estab-
lish a heavy barricade between the posts and
the crater by using hand grenades. If the
enemy attempts to enter the crater, these
grenadiers, can make it untenable by throwing
hand grenades into it.
Automatic rifle or machine gun emplace-
ments are also located on both flanks of the
crater. Their function is to establish flank-
ing fire on hostile troops attempting to
approach the crater.
Rifle grenadiers are stationed in the line of
230 Trench Fighting
trenches to establish a defensive rifle barrage
out in front of the crater.
The riflemen will usually occupy the near
and flank lips of the crater. They will not
occupy the lip of the crater nearest the enemy
until it is ascertained that the enemy has no
more galleries.
A rocket post is located in the first line on
the flanks of the crater. As soon as the crater •
is exploded, a rocket is sent up from this post
calling upon the artillery for a defensive bar-
rage. Usually, special artillery is detailed for
this extra fire. It is a reinforced fire, or a
combination of preventive fire and protective
barrage. It is established on the enemy's
first line rather than in **No Man's Land"
as a purely defensive barrage.
With all these precautions taken, the in-
fantry await the explosion of the mine.
•AF Selection from the
Catalogue of
C. p. PUTNAM'S SONS
Complete Cataloffue ^«nt
on applictttion
/
IT IS THE REAL STUFF
OVER THE TOP
BY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER WHO WENT
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
MACHHIB GUNlTEIt, SBRVING IN FRANCS
j^uTMOR or
''FIRST CALL"
For a year and a half, until he
fell wounded in No Man's Land, this
American soldier saw more actual
fighting and real warfare than any war
correspondent who has written about
the war. His experience^ are grim,
but they are thrilling and lightened by
a touch of humor as original as the
Soldiers Three. And they are true.
i2^0 16 lUustrationM and Dlagraau, SL50 net
By maH SL60
TOGETHER WITH TOMMY'S DICTIONARY OF THE
TRENCHES
44
Over The Top with the Best of
Luck and Give Them Hett/"
The Briibb Soulier's War Cry, as he goes orer the
top of the trench to the chargt
HhiMMa
FIRST CALL
BY
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
GUIDE
POSTS
TO
BERLIN
Author of ''OVER THE TOP''
12"*, Illustrated, $1.30 {By niail, $1.65)
In the amazingly vivid and simple way that
has made Over the Top the most widely read
and talked of book in Americai and the most
successful war book in all history, Empey tells
the new soldiers
What they want to know
What they ought to know
What theyTl have to know
and what their parents, sweethearts, wives, and
all Americans, will want to know, and can do to
help.
A practical book by an American who has
been through it all.
The chapters headed '' Smokes " and '' Thank
God the Stretcher Bearers" will stand among
the war classics.
Here is advice, here are suggestions, over-
looked in other books, that will safeguard our
boys in France.
G. P. PUTNAM^S SONS
New York London
The Making of a
Modem Army
And Its Operations in the Field
A Study Based on the Experience of
Three Years on the French Front
1914-1917
Rene Radiguet
G6n6ral de Division, Army of France
Translated by
Henry P. du Bellet
Formerly Amierican Consul at Rheims
Illustrated
The younger Americans who are now in training for
active service in the field, and particularly those who
have secured commissions as officers or who are prepar-
ing to compete for such commissions, will have a very
direct interest in the instructions and suggestions pre-
sented by General Radiquet in regard to the organization
of an army and the method of its operations in the field.
General Radiguet's treatise is based upon a varied ex-
perience in the camplugns of the present war.
The old text-books must be put to one side. The
methods of organization and the methods of fighting have
alike changed. It is only those who have had re-
sponsibilities as leaders in the present war whose
instructions can be accepted as authoritative.
G. P. Putnam's Sons
New York London
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