Within each 1000 yards front, the distribution may be as follows:
Three platoons of Companies A, B, and C occupy the dugouts of the cover trench and of the support trench and post sentinels by roster in the fire trench.
Platoon No. 4 of each company occupy the dugouts of the reserve trench, together with the entire Company D.
Platoons and companies then relieve one another according to roster, a platoon of each company and an entire company, in turn, enjoying comparative rest in the reserve trench even during the stay of the battalion in the trenches.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE II.
The following is a description of the back areas of a divisional sector in which there has been no great changes since 1915. There are still several hundred miles of such sectors.
The line at the top marks the beginning of the trench-system described in Plate I. being the entrance to the communication trenches.
Road a, b, with the river c, d, run at the bottom of a small valley surrounded by hills of about 80 ft. elevation. A branch of the river runs from c. to e. and a railroad beside it, along road h, i, and crossing road j, k. A good size village is at D, a smaller one at C, hamlets at A and B. The latter are about one mile back of the trenches, village C. about two miles and village D. between three and four.