Notes on Training for Rifle Fire in Trench Warfare

by Army War College

A PREPARED SNIPER POSITION. A SNIPER USING A SNIPERSCOPE.

Sniper’s positions in trenches may, according to circumstances, be located in (a) the front line, (b) parados, (c) approach trenches, (d) connecting trench, (e) dummy trench, (f) support trenches, or any others affording the desired facilities. The commander must study the terrain, the enemy’s trenches, the advantages and disadvantages of each position considered, both with reference to facilities for observation, fire, and concealment, and with reference to danger from the enemy, and select that which will best serve the purpose. He must then decide as to measures for promoting observation and concealment, and supervise their execution and the construction of the necessary loopholes. Loopholes may be arranged of sandbags, iron pipes, boxes, etc. It is better to have them run obliquely rather than perpendicularly with respect to the trench line, and a curtain should be provided to prevent their being discovered by light showing through the hole. Loopholes near the ground are not as readily seen as those higher up, and those located among débris and loose earth, leaves, branches, tumbled sods, etc., are less easily detected than those located in a smooth slope. When constructing loopholes care should be taken to disturb previously existing conditions as little as possible lest the enemy observe the change and profit by the hint. Several loopholes should be provided for each post as the discovery of one by the enemy renders it worthless for future use, and continued use of one loophole will sooner or later result in detection.

The best positions are usually in rear of the first line, so placed as to command a view of the enemy’s trenches up to at least 400 yards. This is not always possible and the best possible must be selected. In any case alternative positions must be arranged. Support trenches may afford better locations than the fire trenches, but they have the objection of increasing the range. If the post is detached an important consideration is whether or not it can be entered or left unobserved during daylight.

9. Conduct of the sniper.—Snipers should work in pairs, exchanging duties of observer every 15 or 20 minutes. They should be relieved every two hours or oftener. It may be advantageous to relieve one every hour.

They will never fire merely to annoy, as this will lead to disclosure of the position, with no adequate result. They will closely examine their shelter and see that the fire opening is so constructed as not to be affected by the blast of the rifle. If shooting through a small aperture in brickwork, the opening should be kept wet to prevent dust being blown out by the discharge. Newly constructed loopholes should be left unused for a time, so as to see if the enemy has detected it. The curtain will always be kept in such position as to prevent light showing through. Snipers must not be led by ruses to fire fruitlessly and disclose their positions. Fire to kill. If a large target is discovered, do not fire if it is possible to inform the machine guns or the artillery. Search constantly for machine guns and snipers; smash his periscopes.

Attacks will afford great opportunities for the sniper, as the enemy will then not be so alert for them, being busy with other matters. Less caution will therefore be necessary. From a position on a flank or anywhere that he can fire without interference with our own men, he selects the most useful targets, such as machine-gun men, officers and noncommissioned officers, snipers, artillery observers, etc. He closely observes the flanks, which are favorite places from which to break up an attack, and endeavors to forestall the enemy’s fire. If the attack succeeds, he covers the working parties during the organization of the captured trench and watches for evidences of an intended counterattack. If this is made, he fires on the enemy as he shows himself in the approach trenches, picking off leaders when possible.

Much night work for snipers will rarely be advantageous. The targets are then practically limited to patrols and sentries, and there is great danger of firing into our own men or being fired on by them. The flash of the rifle will disclose the position if care is not taken to conceal it. Avoid the enemy’s listening posts. Learn the hours at which the enemy repairs the gaps in his obstacles or parapets and watch for him.

10. Description of targets.—In paragraph 2 reference was made to the necessity for a satisfactory working system for designating or describing targets. One of our present embarrassments lies in the multiplicity of methods and the incident confusion in the mind of the soldier. Another source of error lies in the tendency of men to fancy that the ears of listening soldiers take in and digest a description as rapidly as the eye can travel from point to point. The ear, as compared with the eye, is very slow. The immediate deduction from this is that descriptions must be shorn of all unnecessary words, and that they must be as simple and clear as possible. It also emphasizes the advantage of following so far as practicable fixed methods of expression. Recruits should be taught the general plan followed in describing targets in order that they may waste no time from lack of comprehension of the relation of the different elements of the description or the terms employed.

The use of a single form will not suffice, since in some cases the target is so evident that no mistake can be made, and the simple designation such as “That troop of white-horse cavalry, range 1,000 yards,” will identify it beyond all question; while in other cases the particular target may be so obscure and liable to confusion with other targets that a reference point and some system of coordinates must be employed.

In general, targets with reference to their designation will fall under the following heads: