Launching an attack by means of mining.—The mine is an irresistible means of launching an attack. In a mined sector the best troops completely lose their bearings for several seconds after an explosion. These several seconds prevent the machine gun from firing, and the assailant gains a foothold in the first line and often in the second.
A mine attack should be prepared in the following manner:
Several days beforehand the attacking troops are sent to the rest camp. The plan of the jumping-off trenches, the trenches to be attacked, the ground trace of the crater, and the zone of the searchlights are drawn on the ground with chalk. Each attacking fraction is placed in position, with the matériel to be carried. Each fraction's line of advance is marked out in chalk, as well as the section of the enemy's trench to be occupied and the position of the barrage. Every detail is studied thoroughly, and the exercise repeated a dozen times. The attack is then carried out as planned.
Craters.—The question of the occupation of craters must be decided by an authority higher than the platoon commander. In certain cases it is well to occupy them; in others, inadvisable. We will discuss only the practical work to be done in each case.
Craters to be occupied.—Crown the rim on the enemy side with a continuous trench, joined to the lines by (at least) two communicating trenches. Run out galleries in three directions, first for protection and later for use in the attack. Construct bombproofs on the half cone on the enemy side.
A crater is a position advantageous for the construction of auxiliary defenses, for the removal of earth from the galleries, for massing troops for an attack, and for flanking the lines.
Craters that the enemy occupies.—They should be hampered with bombs and grenades. We should head off the enemy by means of two well-placed mine chambers, which are always possible to fire rapidly when the scheme of defense is by independent galleries.
Craters not occupied.—It is well to see what goes on at the bottom. An outpost of several men or a sentinel may be posted for this purpose in a communicating trench on the friendly rim. Two communicating trenches may also be used to crown the friendly rim with a trench with slight counterslope. The outposts place a dozen loopholes permitting fire on the bottom. We may also fill up the bottom with chevaux de frise and other auxiliary obstacles that can be thrown in. If the craters are in the way, we can always turn them by mining. (See figures for different examples:)
