Military Instructors Manual

by J. P. Cole; Oliver Schoonmaker

Each unit of the first wave of the attack is given a definite objective. Different waves must not break upon the first wave.

Fire is opened by the assaulting troops only at short ranges, the advance being protected by a curtain of artillery fire. The advancing line makes use of shell holes and all other available cover.

When the first section reaches its objective it is joined by the half section of riflemen; it immediately organizes the captured ground.

Attacking From Trenches.—The commanders of brigades and battalions, with the commander of the artillery detailed to support them, study on the ground the artillery plan so far as it affects them. Immediately after the advance of the infantry begins, the artillery supporting it commences an intense bombardment with the object of forcing the enemy to take cover. At the moment laid down in the table of artillery fire the barrage lifts clear of the trench and the infantry rush in and capture it. The infantry must be taught that their success depends upon their getting within 75 yards of the barrage before it lifts, in order that they may reach the trenches before the enemy can man them. The secret of a successful assault is exact synchronization of the movements of the infantry with those of the barrage.

The pace of a barrage depends, to a certain extent, on the pace of the infantry, which varies with the condition of the ground, the length of the advance, the number of enemy trenches to be crossed, etc. It may be from 15 to 75 yards per minute. The pace of the barrage should be quicker at first, and should gradually slow down as the men become exhausted, in order to give them time to get close to the barrage and pull themselves together for the final rush.

In an attack each unit must have sufficient driving power in itself to carry it through to its objective and enable it to hold its ground when it gets there. When a number of trenches have to be carried, considerable depth will be required, and the frontage must be reduced. A brigade usually has a front in attack of 250 to 350 yards, but this may be increased to 1,000 or 1,200 yards.

A battalion should have a front of 250 to 350 yards. The battalion must be organized in depth in a series of waves. Two companies are usually put abreast in the first line and the others in the second line. Each company in both lines attacks in column of platoons at about 50 yards' distance, with intervals of three to five paces between men, so there would be eight lines of waves, of two platoons each. The 8th and 16th platoons, the two in rear forming the eighth wave, are usually not employed in the attack, but are left behind as a nucleus to form on in case of heavy casualties.

The front line must not be less than 200 yards from the enemy's front line.

The leading two or three waves are likely to meet machine gun fire, and generally move in extended order. Not more than two waves can be accommodated in one trench. Subsequent waves will move in line or in line of section columns in single file. Russian saps must be run out as far as possible across "No Man's Land" to be opened up immediately after the assault, as approach trenches. Ladders or steps are necessary to assist the leading waves in leaving the trenches, as they must move in lines. Provision must be made for bridges over the first line trenches for the rear waves. In the original assault line will be more suitable for both leading and rear waves. In later stages it is better for the rear waves to move in small and handy columns. In the original assault the distance between waves may be 75 to 100 yards; in later stages they may follow each other at 50 yards.

In the original assault, zero, or the time for the assault to begin, may be fixed for the moment at which our barrage lifts from the enemy front trench, the infantry timing their advance so as to be close under our barrage before it lifts. In the later stages zero must be the moment at which our barrage commences, and this commencement will be the signal for the infantry to leave their trenches. Each wave is assigned its own objective. All watches must be synchronized in order that all units may start off at the appointed time.