Tactics and duties for trench fighting

by Georges Etienne Bertrand; Oscar N. Solbert

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 combat. When the breach has been made in the enemy’s first line, the assaulting and reinforcing 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 exception by every unit of whatever size.

The regiment forms with one or two assaulting battalions, and two or one battalion behind 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 platoons with one or more reinforcing platoons in the second line.

Waves. The successive echelons have received the name “waves.” This designation is expressive but not clear, and causes mistakes.

First, waves may be formed by different dispositions: in deployed line or in line of small columns.

Secondly, the waves are not always composed of the same strength of troops or units, and consequently are not of the same disposition. The battalion commander will designate his first assaulting company as his first assaulting wave. Similarly, the company 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 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 behind 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 formation possible under the circumstances.

Formation of an Assaulting Battalion

Assaulting Companies. In an assaulting company, a certain number 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 specialists being assigned to places in these lines depending 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 grenadiers are furnished by the reinforcing platoons 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 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 reinforcement 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 remains with him.

Supporting Companies. The supporting companies of an assaulting battalion constitute the second echelon. These companies, also, are formed in two waves. These waves are formed like those of the reinforcing platoons 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 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 commander 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 parallel, but at the moment of the assault the successive 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 maximum) placed in one parallel. The men are numbered from 1 to 4 in successive groups of four each. Each No. 1 man belongs to the first line; each No, 2, to the second line, and so on. The distance between similar numbers 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. 1’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 prescribed (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 purpose, located between the first and second defensive lines.

Machine guns and 37 mm. 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 command post directly behind the assaulting battalion from where he can witness the launching of the assault and the crossing of “No Man’s Land.”

Order of the Attack. The attacking troops take the disposition that has just been explained 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 disposition 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 identifying 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 attack.

Based upon the divisional order for the attack, the colonels, battalion commanders, and captains issue their own orders. The difference between the plan of battle and the order for the attack lies in the fact that the 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 communications (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 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 immediate 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 employed 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 rôle 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 especially directed against the enemy’s first line, the objective of the assault. Protected by this fire, the assaulting battalion moves forward. For a few moments after the launching of the first waves over the top, this fire remains on the enemy’s first line. The protective barrage is then lifted and is established on the hostile second line, where it also remains 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 signal the first wave of an assaulting company jumps out of its parallel of departure, the different 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 assaulting 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 paramount. 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.

The result is that all the lines of the assaulting 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 important thing to avoid at this time is the defensive 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 behind their own barrage. The assaulting platoons, who set the pace, should arrive there almost “as soon as the barrage lifts.” Troops that arrive at this opportune moment will surprise 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 during the progress after passing the enemy’s first line.

Departure of the Second Echelon (Supporting Companies). When the first echelon, or assaulting companies, have crossed “No Man’s Land,” the battalion commander usually launches the second echelon, or supporting companies. By this time, the battalion commander will have an impression of the assault, and the distance which separates the two echelons is at this moment the one usually required (200 to 300 yards). In order to avoid the enemy’s barrage 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 d’armes 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.