Artillery fire over infantry
Battle fronts are too short for the artillery to occupy space in the line, even if this were a good place for it which it is not; it must fire over the infantry. All our men must be made to understand the effect of this artillery fire on the effectiveness of the hostile infantry, how much more effective this latter would be without the fire of our artillery, and the importance of having this artillery fire kept up to the last possible moment. Prove to them how much less we shall lose by an occasional premature burst than we should lose by the increased effectiveness of the hostile infantry if our artillery ceased to fire. The men must be taught that it is the infantry that does most of the killing and that, especially at the very short ranges, we want all the help we can get to keep down this killing by the enemy’s infantry.
It has already been shown why the attacker’s artillery has an advantage—the target is fixed. If the men are properly taught this there will be no trouble in getting them to want the artillery to fire over their heads as long as possible.
Tactical connection
The connection that must be kept between the infantry commander and the commander of the batteries told off to his support is of the greatest importance, but that will be the function of a higher ranking man than this book is written for.
How to instruct
How part of this instruction is to be given has already been told. It is believed that the best way to give the theoretical part is in small doses between exercises in the field—the little talks referred to before. Care must be taken not to give too much at once and to continue explaining until the men really grasp it. The theory should go along with the practical work; some of it can be best given in the non-commissioned officers’ school and, as before stated, on the sand table.
How and when you do it is of less importance than that you do it.
VI
PATROLS, ADVANCE AND REAR GUARDS, OUTPOSTS
Patrolling. The great importance of this work calls for the most careful instruction being given our men in this duty. It is not easy to teach, there is so little of it that can be done by thumb rule except in the simpler forms as visiting patrols. The first requisite is that the instructor know the subject thoroughly. As this work is in no sense a treatise on tactics that phase of the question will not be entered into here.