II. Preliminary Dispositions for the Relief
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 cannot 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 shortened 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 hours 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 trenches with full 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 responsible 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 men 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 number 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).
For the Battalion—The battalion commander and his adjutant.
For the Companies—The company commander and one officer for each company. Machine gun company commander and one machine gun officer. The commander of the 37 mm. gun platoon.
Messengers and telephone men at the discretion of the adjutant and the company commanders.
The above reconnaissance parties will go into the trenches on the morning of the day preceding the night relief. They must start early enough to permit a certain number of officers of these parties to return to the billets with all details and information necessary for the movement of the relief into the sector. The adjutant and the lieutenants of each company remain in the trenches until the relief arrives. During the intervening time they must acquaint themselves with all details of the sector necessary for the execution of its defense.
This preliminary reconnaissance affords an opportunity to the different leaders and chiefs of services to note the particular things of interest to each.
For the Colonel or Battalion Commander—The general organization and defense of their area.
For the Adjutants—The works under construction, precautions against gas attacks, etc.
For Officers of the Regimental Headquarters 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, evacuation of the wounded, hygiene (latrines, etc.).
Supply Officer—Emplacements of the kitchens, food supply.
For the Company Commander—Location of the platoons (number of men holding the first line and distribution of same; platoons in the cover trench and support line). Shelter accommodations, alarm signals, artillery support (limits of barrage fronts and barrage calls). Counter attacks (troops and directions for counter attacks). Information of the enemy (observation posts of the support point). Supply (engineer dumps, kitchens, ration supply parties, water).
For the Machine Gun Company Commander—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 reconnaissance of one or two hours.
Relief Orders
(1) 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.
Orders for the reconnaissance, its composition, 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 battalions 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 troops. Assembly points of these battalions.
Movement of the regimental trains, relief of the kitchens, supply measures for furnishing of provisions, orders for the sanitary 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 following points:
Hour of leaving the dispersion point.
Order of march of the units (the companies 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 rendezvous of the messengers that each company sends to headquarters to establish liaison.
Order of supply.
Additional details (result of the reconnaissance).
Departure. Before departure, each company 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 relieving 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 number of flashlights and candles to the company (each corporal carrying a minimum of two candles). Just previous to departure or entraining the battalion commander himself makes a general inspection of his unit.