If guns are shelled they must either:—
Change their Position at once.—This would be the usual proceeding. A movement of quite a short distance—say 50 yards—is quite sufficient in many cases; or—
Cease fire while detachments take cover until the shelling stops.—If this be done, the hostile artillery may think that the machine guns have been put out of action.
Good targets may then present themselves, and the guns may be able to reopen fire with good effect from the same position.
There have been several cases of machine guns firing against artillery with great success. The following instances are quoted:—
(a) A section of machine guns worked forward to a concealed position 900 yards away from a German field battery in action. The section brought oblique fire to bear on the battery and completely silenced it.
(b) A section took a German field battery in enfilade at 2,400 yards. The battery was firing at the time, the gunners fled from their guns, and the battery was silenced.
Note.—Frontal fire by machine guns against shielded artillery can only be expected to produce moral effect. This moral effect may, however, be considerable; and, in addition, the machine gun fire may greatly hamper the supply of ammunition to the guns, etc.
The Occupation of Various Positions by Machine Guns.
Barricades.—When barricading roads, bridges, streets, etc., machine guns should not be placed on the barricade itself if equally good effect can be obtained by placing the guns in positions commanding the approaches to the barricade.