The Making of a Modern Army and its Operations in the Field / A study based on the experience of three years on the French front (1914-1917)

by René-Louis-Jules Radiguet

It is intended to set forth the principles governing trench-construction and to give a general idea of a system of field fortifications. Such a system is subject to the exigencies of local topography, and it is therefore impossible to state exact measurements and distances for the broad outlines of the plan.

Thus one could formulate no law to fix the distance which should separate the different lines of an intrenched position; and even with regard to the breadth of the interval between two trenches of the same line, one can scarcely be more precise; since, however essential it may be in theory to make it broad enough to prevent a single shell from doing damage to both trenches, in practice the configuration of the ground does not always permit of such a precaution.

The plotting-out of the trenches is of very great importance. They must be made in such a manner that they will not be exposed to an enfilading fire of the enemy’s guns, and will be strong enough to oppose the greatest resistance to attack.

Too long and too straight lines are generally avoided. The usual custom is to reproduce the ground plan of a bastion, with alternating salients and re-entrants, a disposition which permits flank firing across the front of the trench ([Fig. 1]).

The re-entrants are frequently additionally fortified so as to render them insurmountable to assault, so that the defenders need occupy the salients only. Advanced trenches exposed to intense bombardment can thus be defended with a smaller number of men.

Fig. 1

The inside of the trenches is provided at short intervals with pare-éclats, or shell-screens, consisting of buttresses of earth supported by clayonnages, or wattle-work, which are intended to limit as much as possible the radius of action of a bursting shell to a single section of trench ([Fig. 2]).

The trenches are of different dimensions; nevertheless, when time is not limited for their construction, [Fig. 3] can be considered as representing the most generally adopted type. The earth thrown up in front, either loose or filled into sandbags, forms the parapet.

As the action of the weather, especially rain, tends to cave in the sides of the trenches, they have to be upheld with wooden props, or with wire nets, supported at three or four metre intervals by wooden or iron posts.