Elements of Trench Warfare

by William H. Waldron

Communication Trench

Plate 23.—Type of communication trench.

In the first line fire trenches there are so many crooks and turns and the trench itself is so narrow that passage along the same is very difficult. To provide for this lateral communication a trench known as the communication or supervision trench is dug. It runs generally parallel to and a short distance in rear of the fire trench and is connected therewith by zigzag approaches. The factor that determines the distance between the fire trench and the communication trench is that it should be at such a distance that a shell bursting in one of the bays would not destroy the communication trench.

The location of the communication trench with respect to the fire trench and the arrangements of the approaches is shown in detail in Plate 1.

The profile of the ordinary communication trench is shown in Plate 23.

Dugouts

During the artillery bombardment few men are left in the fire trenches. The remainder of the garrison is held under cover a short distance to the rear. This cover is provided by a system of dugouts connected with the fire trench through underground passageways that lead to the communication trench. This arrangement is shown in Plate 1.