ATTACK OF A POSITION
=Phases of the Attack.= As we have already learned, the attack of a
position by a unit comprises three phases:
The preparation of the attack.
The assault against the first hostile line.
The exploitation of the success by fighting in the interior of the
position for its occupation.
These phases are the same as those in open ground warfare, but their
importance, aspect, and order are not the same. Especially the
preparation of a trench attack is such a preponderant phase of the
attack that upon the manner of its execution depends the success of the
attack. The exploitation of the success is a long and decisive
operation. In trench warfare, the assault is only the beginning of the
fighting for a position, and its purpose is to make a breach in the
enemy’s first line. Through this breach, the reinforcing and reserve
troops are pushed in behind the assaulting columns to deliver the real
combat for the capture and occupation of the position.
Thus we see that the assault, which in open ground warfare is the final
phase of the battle, is, on the contrary, in trench warfare the first
move of the fight. In open warfare, the order of the battle is: the
preparation, the approach march and infantry combat, and finally, the
assault. An offensive in trench fighting consists of, first, the
preparation; next, the assault against the first line; and last of all,
the interior fighting for the position.
The cause of this reversion of the rôles of the attacking troops in a
trench offensive operation lies in the strength and stability of the
fortified front. It is impossible to maneuver against a continuous line
which extends without a single breach. It is only possible to maneuver
behind the first line or within the position after a breach has been
made. If a part of the first line gives way before the pressure of the
assailants, the leader of the attacking units pushes forward his troops
through this breach without consideration of the strategical value of
the part of the line broken.
I. Preparation of the Attack
=Front of Attack.= The tactical unit for an attack is a division. A
division that is placed in the front line for this purpose is called an
attacking division. To such a division is assigned the task of attacking
and capturing a definite length of front of the hostile position. All
the necessary means to carry out this mission are in the hands of the
division commander.
The tactical unit for an _assault_, in this division, is the battalion.
Each assaulting battalion is placed in front of that part of the hostile
line against which it is to operate, which is called its front of
attack. The length of this front is variable with the tactical
situation. Also, this length in no way indicates to the enemy the
strength of the attacking troops because they are disposed for the
attack in depth. According to the size of the front of attack, the
battalion commander will place two or three companies in the assaulting
column, and two or one company as reinforcing support.
=Conditions of the Assault.= An assaulting battalion must be disposed in
a certain manner, which is called the assaulting disposition. In
establishing this disposition, we must consider the distance of the
assault and the outline of the assaulting lines.
=Distance of the Assault.= The distance over which the troops make their
assault across “No Man’s Land” must not be too great. This is to avoid
as much as possible the enemy’s barrage and machine gun fire. For this
reason, parallels of departure or jumping-off trenches, if necessary,
may be constructed out in front of the first line for the assembling of
the assaulting troops. On the other hand, your own first line should not
be so near to the enemy’s position as to be in the zone of artillery
dispersion when your own batteries are firing at the enemy’s first line.
However, one is not always master of this distance, as it is a result of
long fighting and occupation of the two positions. The proper
concealment of these attack works, such as the parallels of departure,
is an essential condition of success.
=The Trace of the Lines of Departure.= The trace of the lines of
departure must be parallel to the first line of the enemy, not to your
own, so that the assaulting troops will simply have to start in a
perpendicular direction from the lines of departure to reach their
objective. In other words, the assault is a simple frontal attack
without maneuvers.
=Ground Preparation for the Assault.= It follows from the statements of
the conditions of the assault and also of the tactical and material
preparation of the attack, that the terrain from which these troops will
start must be specially organized for this purpose. We have discussed
the principles and details of the organization of the position for the
defense, and it is clear that these must differ materially from those
for the attack. An attack, like a defense, is made with the units
disposed in depth. To launch an attack, certain of the defensive works
that play but a passive rôle in the resistance, such as barbed wire
entanglements, must be rearranged, modified, or partially eliminated.
Other elements, such as routes, boyaux, and supply depots that
facilitate the forward movement of reinforcements, are multiplied.
=Details of the Preparation of the Ground for the Attack.= All the
details of the preparation of the ground for the attack are laid down in
an order called the “Plan of Ground Disposition” issued by the general
of the attacking division. This order is divided into two parts: the
organization of the works, and their execution.
=Organization.= We know that the disposition of an assaulting unit is in
the form of successive echelons, called waves. In order to protect these
waves before the assault, it is necessary to construct for them trenches
parallel to the enemy’s first line; and for this reason these are called
parallels of departure. The trace of the first parallel fixes the
directions of the others behind. For example, an assaulting battalion
which is going to advance in four waves, might have two parallels of
departure with two waves in each parallel. These parallels are narrow
trenches like the defensive lines, but with a series of steps in the
front side so that the men can go over the top easily. If there are no
steps, trench ladders or footholds must be used.
Theoretically, one might think that the distance between these
successive parallels should be the same as that between the attacking
lines. But this is not practicable. Such practice would mark out boldly
on the ground, for the enemy’s air observation, your intentions and your
dispositions for the attack. Therefore, this method is strictly
prohibited. Besides, it is not necessary, since the regulation distances
between the lines and waves are not realized from the point of departure
of the assault. The object of the assaulting companies is to cross “No
Man’s Land” as quickly as possible to avoid the enemy’s defensive
barrage and machine gun fire. Consequently, when the different lines of
the first wave jump out of the same parallel of departure, they will
dash across to the enemy’s first line with little regard to distances
but with a fixed idea of reaching their first objective before the
hostile garrison, and before the enemy’s barrage intervenes. They attain
their regulation distance as soon as the zone of barrage is passed and
when they have arrived at and crossed the first hostile line.
In order not to print the attack on the ground, so to speak, these
different parallels of departure are not constructed in front of your
position unless absolutely necessary. They are constructed when the
distance across “No Man’s Land” is more than five hundred yards, when
there is natural cover, such as woods to conceal them, and sometimes on
reverse slopes. The different defensive lines of the sector make very
convenient parallels of departure. The first waves of the assaulting
company are placed in the firing and cover trenches of the first line.
The reinforcing platoons are disposed in the transversal and
intermediate and support lines. Behind these lines are constructed
_places d’armes_ or assembling places for the reserve troops. These
_places d’armes_ consist of a series of short transversal trenches
leading off both sides of a central boyau.
If the first hostile line is too far from our own first line, on the
night previous to the attack, hasty parallels of departure are
constructed out in “No Man’s Land” for the leading wave of the assault.
This is to give this leading element the best possible chance to arrive
at the enemy’s first line uninterrupted by artillery fire and before the
hostile garrison.
The work of preparing the ground for the disposition of the attacking
troops also comprehends the following:
Several boyaux.
Command posts and observatories in advance of those of the defensive
sector. Each chief must now be in the middle of his unit and not behind
it.
Depots and medical aid stations. Each company has its own little
ammunition depot near the post of the captain.
Ditches for telephone wires. Each battalion has telephone wires brought
up in its main boyau as far as the first parallel. At this point,
telephone material is stored so that the system can be carried into the
enemy’s position with the least delay.
Small bridges are constructed for the passage of the parallels by the
reserves.
It is not necessary that the shelter accommodations be numerous,
especially in the first line, because the assaulting troops are brought
in only a few days before the attack.
=The Execution of the Works.= The second part of the plan of ground
disposition contains the details of the execution of the works for the
preparation of the ground previous to the attack. This part consists of;
1. Emergency works (necessary to the assault).
Observatories and command posts.
The first two parallels of departure for each battalion. If none need
be constructed, the defensive lines used for this purpose are
designated.
Secondary boyaux between parallels, one for each company.
Entrance and evacuation boyaux.
Ammunition depots and water points.
Dressing stations.
If there is more time, the following are constructed:
The third and fourth parallels.
Telephone wires and material brought up.
Bridges for crossing the parallels.
2. Time of duration of the execution of the works.
This may vary from three to twelve days, or even more, depending upon
circumstances.
3. Division of labor.
This depends upon the number of special working parties at your
disposal. A whole division may be assigned for this work, but it is
not the division that will make the attack.
4. Tools.
The tools required for this work are requisitioned from the
headquarters of the attacking army.
5. Ammunition depots.
Cartridges, hand grenades, and signal rockets.
6. Ammunition depots.
Sandbags and logs.
7. Transportation of supplies.
Special means of transportation besides the usual ones, railroads,
motor trucks, mules, horses, etc.
Artillery Preparation
During the time employed in preparing the ground for the attack, the
artillery executes the preliminary bombardment. This comprehends three
kinds of fire.
1. =Counter-Battery Fire.= A certain part of the artillery is detailed
to destroy the hostile batteries or, if this is not possible, to
neutralize them. This result is obtained by methodical fire on precise
targets. Each battery or group of batteries is assigned certain
emplacements to destroy. Counter-battery fire is long-winded work and is
begun several days or even weeks before the attack. If the hostile
batteries are not destroyed before the time of attack, they must be
neutralized at this moment by violent shelling by all the batteries
disposed for this purpose, with shrapnel and other special shells. This
counter-battery action will hinder the hostile artillery from executing
defensive fire, barrage, preventive fire, counter-preparation fire. It
is carried out by special groups of heavy and light artillery under
control of the general.
2. =Fire on Communication Routes, Depots, etc.= This fire, besides its
destructive effect upon the enemy’s position, hinders the arrival of
reinforcing troops, material, ammunition, and food. The shelling of
distant roads, depots, and bivouacs is carried out by batteries of
long-range guns. The fire on the nearest communications, such as
interior supply routes, entrances of boyaux, kitchen emplacements,
etc., is executed by light batteries of the divisional artillery.
3. =Destructive Fire.= Before the attack, the whole of the enemy’s
position is submitted to methodical and violent artillery fire for the
purpose of destroying:
Obstacles which may hinder the advance of the assaulting column:
accessory defenses, such as barbed wire entanglements.
Elements of the defense, such as strong points, machine gun
emplacements, observatories, depots, shelters, and dugouts.
Each different kind of target calls for a certain number of rounds of a
particular caliber. These calculations of the different numbers of
rounds are the results of experience and are set down in tables for the
information of the sector commander. The time, therefore, necessary for
a proper preparation for the attack is a function of the number and
strength of targets. The artillery preparation may last from one to
twenty days, but it must continue until the elements of the hostile
position are sufficiently destroyed to assure a successful attack.
Before an offensive, there is placed at the disposal of the attacking
divisions, besides their regular divisional artillery, a special
allotment of batteries. The different calibers of guns are used
according to the nature of the target. The largest calibers are employed
against the strongest elements of the organization: nests of resistance,
strong points, and deep dugouts. Light artillery is used to obliterate
trenches and boyaux and interior barbed wire entanglements. Trench
mortars serve to destroy the elements of the first line and its
accessory defenses.
=Plan of Artillery Action.= The details for the execution of these
different artillery fires are laid down in the plan of action of the
artillery of the army corps or of the division. This plan is a part of
the plan of battle of the division. These details must be carried out
punctually and with precision. The sector commanders are not interested
directly in the execution of these fires, but they are in their results.
=Duties of the Infantry during the Artillery Preparation.= In connection
with the artillery fire, the infantry in the position must observe the
results of the bombardment and the leaders report their opinion upon its
control.
=Observation.= The observation of the counter-battery fire, long-range
fire on communication routes, and destructive fire on the interior of
the position, falls upon the artillery’s ground observers and the
aviation service. But the duty of observing the results of destructive
fire on the enemy’s first line is carried out with the help of the
infantry observers. Each regiment must observe the front upon which it
is to make the attack. Special attention is paid to the destruction of
barbed wire entanglements and machine gun emplacements. The interested
infantry does not content itself with a passive observation, but must
send out at night, or even in daylight, offensive reconnaissance
parties. Their mission is to actually go into the enemy’s first line, to
ascertain its condition, and to investigate the breaches in the hostile
entanglements. The tactics of such a reconnaissance are the same as for
a raid. The information gathered is sent to the division headquarters in
the daily report of the intelligence officer or in special information
reports.
=Control.= It is both the privilege and the duty of the infantry
commanders to state in their daily reports their opinion on the
artillery preparation. If they do not express their exact opinion on the
progress of the bombardment, they are liable to pay for their
carelessness at the time of the assault.
=Destruction of the Enemy’s Position.= The experiences of three years of
trench warfare have given bitter proof that an attack against an
insufficiently destroyed position will not only fail but will result in
great losses. It is sheer folly to attempt an assault against
undestroyed entanglements, or against a line in which the machine gun
posts have not been demolished. One does not oppose materiel with men.
In trench warfare, the conquest of the ground is made by the artillery;
the infantry follow up this conquest to occupy and to hold the ground.
The essential condition for the success of an attack depends upon the
proper destruction of the elements of a position by the artillery.
=Plan of Battle.= The plan of battle depends upon, first, the strength
of the enemy, obstacles to the attacking troops, lines of defense, nests
of resistances, barbed wire, etc.; and secondly, the mission of the
attacking unit and the means at its disposal.
=Strength of the Enemy.= The Information Service of a division has so
many different methods of obtaining information and data of the enemy
and his defenses that the assaulting troops can be constantly kept
advised of the state of the hostile position. The regiment receives
daily from the division headquarters an information bulletin, aëroplane
pictures, and precise maps of the hostile lines. Upon these data the
regimental commander bases his plan of battle. Comparisons of aëroplane
pictures and maps are particularly useful. From all these data, the
regimental intelligence officer makes pertinent extracts for the
information of the battalion commander. Copies of the different maps are
distributed by the battalion and company commanders to their officers
and non-commissioned officers in order that they may have a better
knowledge of the hostile position for the attack.
[Illustration: CONVERGENCE ON THE OBJECTIVE FOR THE ATTACK METHOD OF
REDUCING A NEST OF RESISTANCE]
=Mission.= The general plan of battle is issued by the division
commander. Based upon the terms of this order, the Colonel, Battalion
Commander, and Captain issue detailed orders of their own plan of
battle. The plan of battle of a small unit usually comprehends the
following points:
Mission of the unit in the attack.
Front to be attacked, with definite limits.
Objectives, different lines to be taken, the last objective.
Disposition of the unit for the attack; formation, intervals.
Disposition of the unit in the parallels of departure before the
attack.
The day (D) and hour (H) of attack.
Direction of the attack; compass angle.
Position of the leader.
Tactical relation with the neighboring units during the advance.
Use of specialists; machine guns, trench cleaners, etc.
Support of artillery during the attack.
Unit liaison during the attack:
With neighboring units and leaders (runners, telephone, signaling,
carrier pigeons).
With the support artillery (detachment of liaison, observatories, and
rockets).
With air service (rockets, signaling, Bengal fires).
With balloon service (searchlights).
Equipment for the attack.
Supply of ammunition and water; advanced supply points.
Evacuation of the wounded; dressing stations, routes of evacuation, auto
ambulance points. Also, routes of evacuation for prisoners and
assembling points for same.
This plan of battle is so drawn up that it may be executed any later day
that may be designated in the order for the attack.
=Preparation of the Men for the Attack.= The work of fitting their men
physically, professionally, and morally for the task before them
devolves upon the leaders of all ranks. By a system of relief, the men
of the garrison get short periods of rest behind the sector to shake off
the atmosphere of the trenches. Continuous instruction of both men and
officers in the basic principles of fighting should be carried on at all
times. The moral training of the men depends to a great extent upon the
officers. The leaders, by example and encouraging words, should instill
into their soldiers that fighting spirit which makes for success in
battle.
II. The Assault
Formations for the Assault
=Disposition in Depth.= The assault has for its purpose the capture of
the first hostile line, that is to say, the crossing of “No Man’s Land”
and penetrating the enemy’s position. The assault is only the beginning
of the combat. When the breach has been made in the enemy’s first line,
the assaulting and reinforcing troops must continue the fighting in the
interior for the conquest of the position. The direct object of the
assault is to open the way for the attacking troops into the position.
The attacking troops are disposed in depth in a series of echelons, so
that during the advance each echelon is brought into the battle at the
proper moment. This rule of formation in depth is followed without
exception by every unit of whatever size.
[Illustration: _A Battalion Attack Formation (Distances in Yds.)_]
The regiment forms with one or two assaulting battalions, and two or one
battalion behind in reserve. The battalion has three or, better, only
two assaulting companies and one or two companies with machine guns, in
the second echelon as support. The company may have three, but more
usually two, assaulting platoons with one or more reinforcing platoons
in the second line.
=Waves.= The successive echelons have received the name “waves.” This
designation is expressive but not clear, and causes mistakes.
First, waves may be formed by different dispositions: in deployed line
or in line of small columns.
Secondly, the waves are not always composed of the same strength of
troops or units, and consequently are not of the same disposition. The
battalion commander will designate his first assaulting company as his
first assaulting wave. Similarly, the company commander designates his
assaulting platoons as the first wave; and the platoon leader, his first
skirmish line as the first wave of the platoon.
[Illustration: ATTACKING COMPANY TWO PLATOONS IN THE FIRST LINE]
Lastly, the real significance of the term “wave” lies in its application
to the formation of the departure of the attack and during the first
part of its advance into the interior of the hostile position. As soon
as the assaulting echelons are held up by nests of resistance, they are
obliged to halt while neighboring echelons on both flanks continue the
advance. Also, reinforcing units will come up from behind to outflank
such a nest. As soon as such a condition arises within the enemy’s
position, the disposition of the troops in waves is lost and the fight
is continued in the best formation possible under the circumstances.
Formation of an Assaulting Battalion
=Assaulting Companies.= In an assaulting company, a certain number of
platoons are placed in the first or assaulting line, and the rest in the
second line as reinforcing platoons.
The assaulting platoons deploy usually in two lines of skirmishers, the
different specialists being assigned to places in these lines depending
upon their functions in the attack. The line of assaulting platoons is
known as the line of combat. A third line of grenadiers follows closely
behind the assaulting platoon, and may be called a part of it. These
grenadiers are furnished by the reinforcing platoons and are known as
trench cleaners. Their function does not begin until the hostile line is
reached, and it is to clear out the trenches of the first line of the
enemy while the assaulting troops continue their advance in the open
ground.
[Illustration: ATTACKING COMPANY THREE PLATOONS IN THE FIRST LINE]
The reinforcing platoons are either deployed in lines of skirmishers or
lines of small columns. These platoons constitute the line of
reinforcement and follow the advance of the assaulting platoons at a
distance of about forty to sixty yards. The machine guns detailed to the
assaulting companies by the chief of battalion are placed with the
reinforcing platoons and are usually carried on the flanks.
Considering the battalion as the assaulting unit and adopting the term
“wave” to designate each platoon, we may say that the company of the
first echelon of the assault is disposed in two waves. The position of
the captain is in front of the second wave between the two reinforcing
platoons. His liaison group remains with him.
=Supporting Companies.= The supporting companies of an assaulting
battalion constitute the second echelon. These companies, also, are
formed in two waves. These waves are formed like those of the
reinforcing platoons of the assaulting company, either in deployed lines
or in lines of small columns. Usually the battalion has two companies in
the first line and two in the second line. In other words, the battalion
carries out the assault in two echelons of two waves each, the distance
between the two echelons being from 200 to 300 yards.
In rear of the support companies and following their advance, are the
remaining machine guns of the battalion and the 37 mm. platoon.
The position of the battalion commander with his liaison group is
directly in front of the second echelon and between his support
companies.
=Disposition of Assaulting Battalion in the Departure Trenches.= We have
seen that for an attack the ground is specially organized for this
purpose and the attacking troops are disposed in _successive parallels_
or _places d’armes_. Usually this disposition is as follows:
The _two waves_ of the assaulting companies are placed in the first and
second parallels which under ordinary circumstances will be the fire
trench and cover trench of the first defensive line. _Consequently_, the
different lines of each wave will occupy the same parallel, but at the
moment of the assault the successive departures of the lines will permit
them to automatically gain the necessary distances to separate them in
the advance across “No Man’s Land.” _For example_, let us assume that
there are four lines (this is the maximum) placed in one parallel. The
men are numbered from 1 to 4 in successive groups of four each. Each No.
1 man belongs to the first line; each No, 2, to the second line, and so
on. The distance between similar numbers in the parallels is about four
paces, giving the proper skirmish intervals to the line. At the given
signal of the leader of the line, the No. 1’s go over the top. The No.
2’s follow at the prescribed distance ordered or at another signal given
by their leader. The other lines follow similarly, so that the
assaulting troops have the regulation interval in line and a prescribed
(not always regulation) distance in depth.
The two waves of the support companies are placed in a third parallel or
_place d’armes_. This third parallel is usually an intermediate trench,
or special work, executed for this purpose, located between the first
and second defensive lines.
Machine guns and 37 mm. guns are located on the ground in relation to
their places in the advance during the attack.
The battalions which are kept as reserves according to the plan of
battle of the sector commander, are disposed in _places d’armes_
organized behind the parallels of departure. The colonel and his
headquarters occupy a command post directly behind the assaulting
battalion from where he can witness the launching of the assault and the
crossing of “No Man’s Land.”
=Order of the Attack.= The attacking troops take the disposition that
has just been explained some days before the attack. This disposition is
laid down in a paragraph of the Plan of Battle. Each leader of an
attacking unit, with a map of the ground on which his area is specially
outlined, must study his disposition on the ground previous to the
arrival of his troops. Besides this, the leaders must pay special
attention to the hostile position, verifying the direction of the
attack, and identifying the successive objectives and the nests of
resistance that will be encountered.
When the general who is in charge of the attack judges that the
artillery preparation is sufficient, that the supply systems for the
attack are properly organized, that all is ready and, in short, that the
psychological moment has arrived, he gives his order for the attack.
Based upon the divisional order for the attack, the colonels, battalion
commanders, and captains issue their own orders. The difference between
the plan of battle and the order for the attack lies in the fact that
the latter fixes all the details of execution of the general operations
laid down in the former. But also, the order for the attack contemplates
the first measures to be taken as soon as the assault is carried out,
especially the extension of the liaisons (telephone lines) and
communications (boyaux) from the first parallel of departure up to the
enemy’s position.
The order for the attack contains precise details of the following
points:
Exact hour of the attack; or signal rocket for the same.
Details of the successive objectives; different resistances that will
probably be encountered.
Time-table of the moving barrage and the rate of its advance.
Prolongation of the telephone lines; particular wires to be extended.
Prolongation of communications; boyaux to be built at night across “No
Man’s Land”; units detailed for this purpose.
Supply of ammunition and water in the captured position; points of
distribution.
=Departure of the Assault= [The hour (H)]. We have now arrived at the
most important and critical moment of the battle, the hour (H) of
launching of the assault. A few minutes before the hour (H) the men take
the places assigned them in the parallels with strict orders to remain
there. Bayonets are fixed on the rifles. Useless movements and noise of
any kind are prohibited. Each man holds himself in readiness awaiting
the signal of his immediate chief. Each chief of unit himself ascertains
that his men are in readiness and in good condition for the assault. He
sends all wounded back to shelter. The leader must impress his men with
the confidence that he knows his duty, that he has foreseen and is
prepared to meet all circumstances of the coming battle; The value of
troops at this moment depends upon their leaders.
=Support Artillery.= During the time just preceding the hour (H) all the
artillery which does not execute counter-battery fire is employed to
protect the assault. A part of this artillery is given to each of the
assaulting battalions as support artillery. Liaison and observation
detachments are sent by this artillery to the infantry battalions to
which they are attached. These detachments have the same composition and
rôle as explained in the defense of a position.
The artillery support holds under its fire that part of the hostile line
assigned to its infantry battalion. A violent fire is especially
directed against the enemy’s first line, the objective of the assault.
Protected by this fire, the assaulting battalion moves forward. For a
few moments after the launching of the first waves over the top, this
fire remains on the enemy’s first line. The protective barrage is then
lifted and is established on the hostile second line, where it also
remains for a certain time, according to the barrage time-table, and so
on.
=Departure of the First Echelon= (Assaulting Companies). At the precise
moment or signal the first wave of an assaulting company jumps out of
its parallel of departure, the different lines of which it is composed
being formed as previously explained. In a similar manner, as soon as
the first wave is launched, the second wave goes over the top of its
parallel. All the different lines of the different assaulting companies
advance straight to the front towards their first objective. The rate of
advance, although not a run, is as rapid as the circumstances of the
torn up ground of “No Man’s Land” will permit, at the same time
maintenance of the formations being paramount. Success depends upon the
proper location of the specialists in the formations of the waves, and
this order must not be lost in the confusion that results from too much
speed.
The result is that all the lines of the assaulting companies start
almost at the same time from the two parallels of departure, and with
shorter distances between the lines than that called for by regulation.
This formation is not a drawback, but, on the contrary, works to better
advantage. The first and most important thing to avoid at this time is
the defensive barrage of the watchful enemy. This is established as soon
as he is aware of the assault. If the reinforcing line follows closely
behind the line of combat, it has a better chance of passing the danger
zone before the enemy’s barrage is established. A company caught under
the enemy’s barrage will lose, on an average, fifty per cent. of its
effectives. Also, the assaulting companies must arrive in the first
hostile line as quickly as possible behind their own barrage. The
assaulting platoons, who set the pace, should arrive there almost “as
soon as the barrage lifts.” Troops that arrive at this opportune moment
will surprise the enemy in his shelters or in the act of taking his
place on the firing line. It is better to risk losing a few lives by
your own barrage than to give the enemy time to man his first line.
Finally, the regulation distances between the different lines and waves
will be attained during the progress after passing the enemy’s first
line.
=Departure of the Second Echelon= (Supporting Companies). When the first
echelon, or assaulting companies, have crossed “No Man’s Land,” the
battalion commander usually launches the second echelon, or supporting
companies. By this time, the battalion commander will have an impression
of the assault, and the distance which separates the two echelons is at
this moment the one usually required (200 to 300 yards). In order to
avoid the enemy’s barrage and to profit by any lull in his fire, the
battalion commander chooses the exact moment for the departure of the
second echelon.
=Advance of the Reserves.= As soon as all the waves of the assaulting
battalion have penetrated the enemy’s position, the reserve battalions
of the regiment leave their _places d’armes_ and move forward through
boyaux to the first parallels of departure. In this position they await
the order of the colonel to advance into the enemy’s position to join
the combat for its conquest. The colonel awaits the first report from
his assaulting battalion before giving the order for the advance of the
reserves.
III. Fighting in the Interior of the
Position and Exploitation
=Principle of the Fighting.= The fundamental principle of the fighting
in the interior of the position is that each attacking unit from the
division down to the battalion receives a definite objective. This
objective is usually an area containing the lines of the hostile
position with precise flanking limits. The farthest line in the
objective area must be gained by the units at all costs. Beyond this
last objective, strong reconnaissance parties and patrols are sent to
keep contact with the enemy.
Usually the attacking regiments, which carry out the struggle in the
interior of the position, are assigned the mission to capture the third
or covering line of the artillery. The continuation of the struggle
beyond this line and the capturing of the enemy’s guns is what is called
“the tactical exploitation of the success.” The troops that carry out
this operation are the reserves of the division held out for this
particular purpose. The plan of battle does not include orders for this
action.
=Details of the Interior Fighting.= Let us follow an attacking regiment
in its progress in the interior of a hostile position, and consider the
use of the different echelons of which it is composed: assaulting
companies, reinforcing companies, and reserves.
=Assaulting Companies.= The advance of the assaulting platoons regulates
the advance of all the successive elements. These platoons, after
crossing the first hostile line, continue their movement without
hesitation. The rate of advance is, of course, variable with the
difficulties of the ground and the strength of the hostile organization.
For this reason it cannot be very rapid. The pace of the leading
elements of the assaulting column is foreseen in the plan of battle
(depends upon the strength of the enemy’s position), and this becomes
the rate of advance of the moving barrage. If no unforeseen and serious
resistance is encountered, the assaulting platoons will be able to keep
up with their protective barrage. Sometimes, however, they may halt for
a moment in their progress under cover of some shelter to regain their
alignment.
As a part of the assaulting platoon comes the trench-cleaner detachment.
The trench cleaners are armed with hand grenades and trench knives.
Their function is to enter the hostile trenches taken and, profiting by
the surprise effect of the attack, to vanquish the last resistance and
to make prisoners of the defenders still in the dugouts. They pay
special attention to picketing all entrances, exits, and shafts of
dugouts so that detachments of the enemy cannot come out and fire into
the rear of the waves that have already crossed. If the different lines
of the hostile platoon are very far apart, the number of trench cleaners
is increased, a detachment dropping off in each line.
As long as the assaulting platoons do not meet resistance, the
reinforcing platoons follow the former at the regulation distance to
avoid mixing of the different waves of the attack. If, however, the
assaulting platoons suffer severe losses, and are unable to continue the
progress, the reinforcing platoon, either by order of the captain or
upon the initiative of its leader, moves up and reinforces the combat
line. Its function then becomes the same as that of the assaulting
platoon.
Again, if a gap should occur in the combat line, due to losses or
extension of the front, the reinforcing platoon moves in that direction
and fills the gap. In general, the tactics of the reinforcing platoon
are always to assure continuity of progress by outflanking resistances
that have stopped the advance of the platoon in front.
The machine guns attached to an assaulting unit follow and protect the
flanks. When halted they fire on retreating hostile troops and on
special points of resistance. Their special use, however, is against
counterattacks.
=Reinforcing Companies.= The reinforcing companies, with the machine gun
reserve and 37 mm. gun of the assaulting battalion, after they have
penetrated the hostile position, follow the progress of the assaulting
waves at the prescribed distance. They advance in line of small columns
but make use of any cover that the ground affords to minimize losses
from hostile fire. During this advance, their mission is to rally all
the elements of the assaulting companies and push them forward; and also
to watch out for the flanks, pushing out to protect them on their own
initiative if necessary. But when the line of combat is held up by
resistance the supporting companies are maneuvered by order of the
battalion commander. Naturally, the whole line of combat will not
progress uniformly. Certain assaulting platoons will be held up by nests
of resistance, while others in the intervals will carry on with less
interruption. Reinforcing platoons and support companies are maneuvered
to outflank such nests of resistance and to fill the resulting gaps in
the combat line.
[Illustration: MANEUVERS AGAINST A NEST OF RESISTANCE]
Let us take a concrete example of an assaulting company followed by a
supporting company held up by a nest of resistance (a ravine, reverse
slope, or woods strongly organized with machine guns) and follow the
movements of the reinforcing platoons and supporting company. (Examine
the diagram showing maneuvers against a nest of resistance in connection
with the following explanation.) The first figure shows the formation of
the four platoons of an assaulting company advancing in the interior of
a position followed by a supporting company. The 1st and 2nd are the
assaulting platoons, and the 3rd and 4th the reinforcing platoons. The
supporting company follows in double column of platoons. The second
figure shows the 1st assaulting platoon held up by a nest of resistance
with the 3rd or reinforcing platoon moved up on the right flank.
Platoons =2= and =4= of the same company carry on, and this movement
results in a gap in the line of combat between the 2nd and 3rd platoons.
The third figure shows the 1st and 2nd platoons of the supporting
company moved up in this gap, and the 3rd and 4th platoons acting as
reserves. The nest of resistance is thus attacked from the front and
flank and the continuity of the combat line maintained. When a nest of
resistance is encountered the attacking troops must not accumulate in
front, as this will multiply the losses. The line of combat will attack
the front of a nest of resistance while the successive reinforcing and
supporting waves maneuver against its flanks. The battalion commander
will use all the weapons at his disposal as machine guns, 37 mm. guns,
and rifle grenades to reduce the nest of resistance. If this method
fails he will have to call on the artillery for help, but this
necessitates a modification of the artillery barrage time-table.
=Rôle of the Artillery during the Attack.= During the attack the
artillery carries out the following different fires:
Counter-battery fire.
Protective fire on the flanks of the attack.
Accompaniment or barrage fire.
The first two fires are executed by a part of the artillery directly
under the chief of artillery of the division, who in turn is under the
control of the general.
The third kind of fire is executed by the support artillery, detailed to
the different assaulting battalions as in the defensive organization.
The action of this artillery directly interests each infantry chief of
area, to whom are sent liaison detachments and observers (an officer, N.
C. O.’s, and artillery orderlies). This third kind of fire is the only
one that we will consider in detail.
=Principle of the Accompaniment Fire.= During the progress of the attack
the support artillery establishes a moving barrage in front of the
advancing infantry. This barrage travels by bounds. It remains for a
certain time on each defensive line and at intervals between them so as
to thoroughly sweep the intervening ground. The time-table, or rate of
this moving barrage, is laid down in the plan of action of the
artillery. The infantry leaders of course are acquainted with this
time-table.
=Other Means of Controlling the Barrage.= The moving barrage may also be
advanced successively by order of the commanding general according to
information received from the leading elements of the assaulting
battalion, from the artillery or aëroplane observers.
Calls may be made directly from the line of combat by rockets, or other
means of liaison. With reference to the barrage there are two uses of
rockets; one is for calling the barrage in the defensive, and the other
is calling for an advance of the barrage during the attack. It may be
remarked that it is impossible to call for a decrease in range of the
barrage as this, of course, would be dangerous to your own troops. It is
better to decrease the rate of advance of the barrage rather than to
have it move too quickly and risk abandoning the infantry.
Lastly, the preceding means for controlling the barrage can be employed
in conjunction. That is to say, a time-table for the barrage is adhered
to during the first part of the advance when the positions of the
hostile lines are well known, while during the last part, when the
infantry’s progress is not so regular and the ground is not so well
known, each advance of the barrage may be called for by rocket, as each
resistance met with is disposed of. If an assaulting battalion meets a
resistance which it cannot reduce by its own means, it must call upon
the support artillery for help. To do this, the artillery must halt its
barrage and for an interval the time-table is not in effect. Such an
emergency calls for a special action on the part of the support
artillery, and also for the intervention of any other artillery at the
disposal of the general. This particular action of the artillery may be
called for automatically by rocket or by the other means of liaison. The
rôle of the officer and N. C. O. of the artillery liaison detachment is
to give the artillery the precise technical information necessary in
such a case to establish its fire on a nest of resistance. This action
of halting the barrage and giving the artillery a new objective is
exceptional and delicate to execute. As soon as the resistance is
reduced, the time-table is resumed.
=Liaisons During the Attack.= The proper co-ordination of all the
foreseen developments of the attack lies in a good system of liaison.
There must be leadership liaison for the transmission of orders and
reports, and infantry-artillery liaison for the proper co-operation of
the two arms. The means of liaison in the offensive are the same as
those considered in the defensive organization. The principle of their
use is the same but made more difficult by the progress of the different
attacking echelons. It is the duty of all leaders to foresee the
establishment of liaison for the engagement in their plan of battle, and
also for the prolongation of these means with the advance of the
attacking troops.
The means of liaison are:
Telephone lines (for leadership in artillery. They are lengthened from
the parallel of departure to the interior of the enemy’s position.)
Signal communication (established from the enemy’s position to a central
point in the rear).
Rockets (precise signification of each kind laid down in orders).
Carried pigeons (headquarters that are to carry these laid down in
orders).
Detachment of special runners (essential to be established between all
units).
=Aviation.= During the advance, a particular system of liaison is
established with the air service. Each division has at its disposal a
certain number of accompanying planes that fly low and follow the
assaulting battalions. Their duty is to establish communication between
the leading elements of the advancing infantry, and the artillery, and
the commanding general. The infantry signal to these airplanes by means
of rockets and Bengal fires, and the planes in turn communicate with the
artillery and the commanding general by means of wireless.