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.