Rifle grenades are capable of causing more losses to the enemy than bombardment. The rifle grenade arrives at its destination unexpectedly without any noise; it explodes before one has even time to get out of the way. As it does not arrive at fixed hours like the bombardment, the enemy cannot continually avoid it by taking refuge in his dugouts and shelters; when he is moving about a trench which is subject to rifle grenading he must be continually on the alert. This perpetual menace, hour in and hour out, day in and day out, renders his sojourn in the trenches extremely disagreeable.
Before rifle grenades are thrown careful observation of the opposing trench must have been made to determine the point where the grenade is likely to do the greatest damage.
Rifles are placed in the aiming racks and the grenades fired from time to time, day and night, at moments when it seems propitious. In this way a sentinel may be taken by surprise; a non-commissioned officer or officer may be caught unawares.
It should be remembered that we will probably be able to throw twenty grenades to the enemy's one. Advantage should always be taken of this munitions superiority. Every man of the enemy we can put out of action is one less to kill us in the advance which will eventually come. Sometimes the enemy will try to reply. Here is where our munitions superiority comes in again. We can fairly shower him with grenades and make him take to his shelters.
It may be advisable to execute a sudden burst of grenade fire. This is started by a volley and followed by fire at will.
When the artillery has destroyed parts of the enemy's trenches or makes breaches in his obstacles by day he will endeavor to repair them at night. He may be considerably annoyed and losses inflicted upon him by a well-directed shower of rifle grenades arriving at points where his working parties are located. To make this effective the rifle racks should be placed in position and secured during the day after trial shots have demonstrated conclusively the direction and angle for them.
Shelling
You will be impressed by the shells, especially the big ones. The din and blast of the explosions are, to say the least, terrifying. But you will soon come to know that the shell often makes more noise than it does harm and that, after a terrific bombardment, by no means is everybody destroyed.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SHELLS
The big shell, which is so appalling, is only really dangerous if it falls on the place where a man is standing, because the splinters rise in the air. Fall down flat when the shell bursts. Even if you are quite close, there is comparatively little risk. Get up immediately after the explosion, especially if you are 200 to 300 yards away from the place where it burst. The splinters do not fall for some time after the explosion.