W, X, and Y are three pill-boxes about 150 yards apart. We are attacking in the direction of the arrows, that is, in a northerly direction.
Our men following close behind the barrage took pill-boxes W and Y; but, partly owing to the conformation of the ground and partly for other reasons, we failed to take X, and this pill-box is now holding up the whole of our advance between W, wood, and Y, knoll, with a machine gun, which is being fired from the inside of the pill-box, and which sweeps the whole ground between these points so effectively that directly we attempt to advance our men are mown down.
It is apparent that X has only one machine gun in action, though this is a very efficient one.
From the contours on the sketch, it is evident that the ground is convex in formation, that is, that it is nearly flat between X and H¹, but that it slopes rapidly between H¹ and H, between B¹ and B, and between C¹ and C.
The slopes are covered with brushwood. The ground between contour 120 and the pill-box is meadow land.
The platoon originally told off to attack X was wiped out.
Problem.
You have been ordered to take X with your platoon and to do so as quickly as possible. When you receive these orders you are yourself at H, and, as you will see from the sketch, are not under fire from X.
What steps will you take to carry out your orders?