TRENCH ORDERS
The following outline gives a synopsis of information required in
various paragraphs for Battalion Orders in Trench Warfare, followed by
models of each.
Six orders are given in these models, viz.:
I. Plan of Attack.
II. Order for the Attack.
III. Preliminary Order for a Relief.
IV. March Order for Relief.
V. Plan of Advance.
VI. A Raid.
I. Plan of Attack
(Issued several days before attack)
1. =Rôle of Battalion=, _i. e._, general description of offensive and
whether battalion is in first line or reserve.
2. =Zone of Attack.= Accurate description of boundaries of hostile
position to be attacked.
3. =Objectives.= Number of trenches to be assaulted and trench at which
offensive will halt.
4. =Disposition for the Attack.= Companies in assaulting line—companies
in support—apportionment of objectives to companies—distance between
assaulting and supporting companies—disposition of M. G. Co. and 37 mm.
gun—location of battalion C. O. during assault.
5. =Disposition of Units in Parallels of Departure.= Describe accurately
trenches each unit will start from: _e. g._ Assaulting Cos.—first line
and cover trenches. Supporting Cos.—intermediate trenches or _places
d’armes_ nearby starting points of battalion C. O., M. G. Co. and 37 mm.
gun.
6. =Direction of the Attack.= Landmark to guide on, also compass
direction.
7. =Tactical Relation with Neighboring Units.= Troops on flanks of
battalion and responsibility for liaison therewith. Patrolling to
establish connection if necessary.
8. =Artillery Support during Attack.= Barrage to start at hour H. Where
and how long it will halt beyond the last objective.
9. =Liaison during Attack.= Usual liaison with artillery and aëroplanes—
telephone lines to be established during attack—signals such as Bengal
lights to show progress of assaulting companies.
10. =Supply.= Detachments (usually from supporting companies) to carry
ammunition. Hour at which and points from which they will start.
11. =Evacuation.= Evacuation point for wounded and assembly point for
prisoners.
* * * * *
Details =not= stated in this order. Time of attack—detailed instructions
for barrage. Liaison to be established after attack—equipment to be
taken. Information of the enemy not given as all officers have maps of
enemy’s trenches as well as of their own trench system.
II. Order for the Attack
(Issued night before attack is to be made)
1. Time; _i. e._, hour H.
2. Further details of assault than given in previous order.
3. Further details concerning barrage, _i. e._, Halts to be made by
barrage—rate of travel.
4. Liaison to be established =after= attack.
5. Supplies to be carried.
III. Preliminary Order for a Relief
(Issued night before reconnaissance; _i. e._ 24 to 36 hours before
relief)
1. (Based on regimental order.) Battalion to be relieved—Sector.
General Description of Sector: Centers of resistance—troops in each—
troops on right and left of sector—reserve-command post of Colonel,
Command Post of artillery support Commander.
Note: Battalion needs know no more about artillery support than location
of command post. Details as to location of guns are not given out.
2. =Disposition of Battalion in Center.= Accurate description of: First
line and units occupying it—intermediate line and units occupying it—
support line and units occupying it—Battalion Command post—stations of
machine gun company—dressing station.
3. Hour at which usual reconnaissance will be completed—each officer to
reconnoiter area assigned him in 2.
4. Hour at which Major will assume command of center of resistance.
IV. Order for the March of the Relief
(Issued after reconnaissance and several hours before relief starts)
1. Dispersion point fixed by Colonel—Battalion’s place in regiment—hour
at which battalion clears dispersion point.
2. Relief to be made as per preceding order. Order of march of units in
battalion. Routes to be followed and formation taken from dispersion
point to point of rendezvous of guides.
3. Hour at which the guides will be at rendezvous. Location of
rendezvous. Routes by which guides will conduct various units to their
places.
4. Hour and place ration details will report to N. C. O. from battalion
headquarters to go to kitchens for rations. Hour at which daily requests
for material and ammunition will reach Major. Whether Major has depot to
fill emergency requests.
5. Reports to be submitted by Captains. Usually written report upon
occupation of area and daily reports submitted at same time as requests
for material.
V. Plan of Defense
1. Direction and nature of probable attacks.
2. Plan of Defense of center. Duties of first line Companies. Orders for
machine guns. Platoons to support machine guns.
3. Counterattack. Platoons for counterattack—their routes—reinforcing
platoons to replace them.
4. Artillery Support. To establish barrage in “No Man’s Land” at usual
(rocket) call.
5. Supply. Extra grenades or ammunition to be carried by counterattack
or reinforcing platoons.
VI. A Raid
1. Date, hour, objective, and purpose of raid.
2. Composition of and company furnishing raiding party.
3. =Assistance to Raiders—Details of Execution of Raid=: _e. g._,
Grenadiers to protect flanks. Objective. Direction of attack.
Preparation of explosives to destroy enemy’s wire. Rocket signal for
blowing up wire, rush of raiders and start of artillery or rifle grenade
barrage. Duration of raid. Direction and return of raiders.
4. Duration and location of barrage.
5. Supplies. Raid is generally made by men from an organization in rear
(support or reserve). Captain of first line company provides the
material: Grenades, tools, explosives, rockets, etc.
I. Plan of Attack
1st Bn. 3rd Inf. 47th Div.,
Bn. Command Post,
1 Nov. 17, 2 p. m.
Field Orders
No. 7
Map
BERRY-AU-BAC, N. O.
1. =Rôle.= In the attack this Bn. will be in the first line. It will
attack the west slope of the ENCLUME WOOD in a general offensive in
conjunction with the Bns. on both flanks.
2. =Zone of Attack.= The zone of attack will be limited as follows: On
the left by the road from TEMPLE FARM to CORBENY (exclusive), on the
right by the imaginary line marked by the points, boyau ST. POL, point
6909 (first German line), point 7109 (cover trench, first line) hill
69.2 point 7216 (German support line) and topographical point 78.8, all
these points inclusive.
3. =Objectives.= 1st. First German line, Plaine trench. 2nd. Cover
trench, ENVER PASHA trench. 3rd. Support trenches, L’ENCLUME trench on
the east and MARTEAU trench on the west.
On this last objective the assaulting companies will halt, maintaining
contact with the enemy by means of contact patrols, especially on the
right front towards the FORGERON WOOD and the west edge of the L’ENCLUME
WOOD.
4. =Disposition for the Attack.= The Bn. will attack with two Cos. in
the assaulting line and two Cos. in support. Assaulting Cos. (A and B)
will take the usual assaulting disposition. Each Co. will be reinforced
by a M. G. platoon.
The zones of action of the assaulting Cos. will be divided by the line:
Point 6502 (ANSPACH trench), point 6606 (in the BONNET PERSAN WOOD), and
the boyau PARSEVAL from point 6712 to point 6919. All these points to be
included by the left Co.
The distance between assaulting Cos. (A & B), and supporting Cos. (C &
D) will be 300 yards.
The remaining sections of M. G. Co. and the 37 mm. gun will follow the
left supporting Co. (C) at 100 yards.
The Bn. C. O. will be located in front of the reinforcing companies to
the left of the center, on the general axis of march, the boyau
PARSEVAL.
5. =Disposition of Units in Parallel of Departure.= The assaulting Cos.
will use for their parallels of departure the fire and cover line
trenches between the boyau ST. POL and LIEVIN (inc.).
The supporting Cos. will use for their parallels of departure the
ANSPACH trench, and the _places d’armes_ built in rear of this trench
and on each side of the boyau ST. OMER and ST. POL.
The Bn. C. O. with his headquarters, will start from the point of
intersection of the ANSPACH trench and the ST. OMER boyau.
The M. G. reserve and 37 mm. gun are located in the 520 M. trench.
6. =Direction of the Attack.= The general direction of the attack is on
the R. R. station at south edge of CORBENY, compass direction N. 10° E.
7. =Tactical Relation with Neighboring Units.= Left: connecting with 2nd
Bn. 3rd Inf. on the road. Permanent liaison will be assured by the
assaulting Cos.
Right: connection with 2nd Inf. at the points 6909 and 7216.
The right supporting Co. will take a formation in echelon with the right
element refused, this latter element establishing connection with the
troops to the right during the advance.
Reconnoitering patrols will also establish connection with the troops on
the right in the L’ENCLUME WOOD.
8. =Artillery Support during Attack.= The assaulting waves will be
protected by a moving barrage which will start at the hour (H). The
moving barrage will halt and remain on the line 200 yards beyond the
last objective at the hour (H plus 50 minutes).
9. =Liaison during Attack.= Usual liaison with the artillery and
airplanes (rockets and flags).
As soon as the assaulting Cos. arrive in or halt before the third
objective, a telephone liaison will be established between the Co.
commanders and the Bn. commander.
A Bengal line of fire will be lighted by the assaulting Cos. when they
reach the 2nd and the 3rd objectives.
10. =Supply.= Each supporting Co. will send a party often men to the
TEMPLE FARM as supply detachments. These detachments will start with
ammunition supply at the hour (H plus 1 hour) for the command posts of
the assaulting Cos. in the captured position.
11. =Evacuation.= Evacuation point for wounded will be at RIVOLI CENTER
(northeast edge of DE BEAU MARAIS WOOD). Assembly point for prisoners
will be at TEMPLE FARM.
* * * * *
Major, 3rd Inf.,
Bn. Comdr.
II. Order for the Attack
1st. Bn. 3rd Inf. 47th Div.,
Bn. Command Post,
4 Nov. 17. 7 p. m.
Field Orders
No. 8
Map.
BERRY AU BAC N. O.
1. In accordance with Field Orders #7, these headquarters, the attack
will be made at the hour (H).
H = 10:30 A. M.
2. The three objectives of the attack are: 1st, PLAINE trench; 2nd,
ENVER PASHA trench; 3rd, L’ENCLUME and MARTEAU trenches.
For the capture of these three objectives the plan of the Bn. commander
is as follows:
The assaulting Cos., after taking the 1st and 2nd objectives will
proceed to the attack of the 3rd objective, while the mopping up parties
clean up the captured trenches. As the assaulting Cos. leave the 2nd
objective, the Bn. commander will give the order for the supporting Cos.
to start, in order that they will reach the 2nd objective at the same
time the assaulting Cos. reach the 3rd. In case the assaulting Cos. are
compelled to stop before reaching the 3rd objective, the Bn. commander
will use the supporting Cos. to outflank the nest of resistance expected
to be encountered in L’ENCLUME wood.
3. The moving barrage will halt 10 minutes immediately in rear of the
2nd objective and 10 minutes on the 3rd objective. With the exception of
these halts the barrage will move at a uniform rate of 20 yards per
minute.
4. As soon as the Bn. commander reaches the point 6919 a telephone
liaison will be established from the starting point in the ANSPACH
trench to point 6919.
From point 6919 a signal liaison will be established with the artillery
observation post in the EDMOND BUTTE.
5. The supply detachments will carry 400 hand grenades, 50 illuminating
and 50 signal rockets.
* * * * *
Major 3rd Inf.,
Bn. Comdr.
III. Preliminary Order for a Relief
Order for the Occupation of a Center of Resistance
Field Orders
No. 5.
3rd Bn. 80th Inf.
1 Nov. 17. 6 p. m.
1. In accordance with orders of the regimental commander, the 80th Inf.
will relieve the 132nd Inf. in the TEMPLE sector during the night 2–3
Nov. 17.
In this sector two Bns. are in the first line in the centers of
resistance BONNET PERSAN WOOD and PINS BUTTE.
The 3rd Bn. 80th Inf. will occupy the BONNET PERSAN WOOD center, which
is limited on the east by the ST. POL boyau (inclusive) and on the west
by the TEMPLE FARM-CORBENY road (exclusive) which road is the dividing
line between the two centers.
Adjoining units:
On the right the 45th Inf., occupying EPINAL sector.
On the left the 1st Bn., 80th Inf., occupying PINS BUTTE center.
In reserve, 2nd Bn., 80th Inf., in the BEAU MARAIS WOOD.
Command post of the regimental commander (sector commander), TEMPLE
FARM.
Command post of the artillery support commander (72nd A. C.), EDMOND
BUTTE.
2. Disposition of the Bn. in the BONNET PERSAN WOOD center.
In the first line: Co. A in the firing and doubling trench (Baden
trench) between the ST. POL and BONNET PERSAN boyaux (both inclusive),
Co. C in the same firing and doubling trench between the BONNET PERSAN
boyau (exclusive) and the LIEVIN boyau (inclusive).
In the intermediate line (ANSPACH trench): Co. B and the detachment of
pioneers.
In the support line (520 M trench): Co. D and Bn. Hq.
Command post of the Bn. Cmdr. (Commander of the center), Command post of
ST. OMER (in the ST. OMER boyau).
Three sections of the M. G. Co. will relieve same numbered sections of
the relieved Co. in the different lines of the center. The remainder of
the M. G. Co. with the 37 mm. gun will be kept as Bn. reserve in the 520
M trench.
Dressing station: in the 520 M trench at the intersection with ST. OMER
boyau.
3. The reconnaissance for the relief will be made early in the morning
of 2 Nov. 17 (usual composition) and will be completed at 10 a. m. Each
officer will reconnoiter the area assigned to him in this order.
4. After the relief the Bn. Cmdr. will assume command of the center at 6
a. m. 3 Nov. 17.
* * * * *
Major 80th Inf.,
Bn. Cmdr.
IV. Order for the March of the Relief
Field Orders
No. 6.
3rd Bn., 80th Inf.,
2 Nov. 17.—12 o’clock noon.
1. In accordance with orders of Regimental Commander, the dispersion
point of the regiment for entering the TEMPLE FARM sector will be
PONTAVERS. This Bn. will be the first Bn. to leave. It will clear
PONTAVERS at 5 p. m.
2. The occupation of the BONNET PERSAN WOOD center will be made in
accordance with Field Orders No. 5, these headquarters. The order of
march of the Bn. will be: Co. A, Co. C, Bn. Hq., C. B., Dtch. Pioneers,
Co. D, Mach. Gun Co., and 37 mm. gun.
The march from PONTAVERS to HALTE will be via the CORBENY road in column
of squads with 200 yards distance between cos. From HALTE to point of
rendezvous of the guides the Bn. will march along the right of R. R.
track in column of twos with 200 yards distance between cos.
3. The usual guides will be sent from the relieved Bn. to be at the
point of rendezvous by 6 o’clock p. m. The point of rendezvous of the
guides will be south of EDMOND BUTTE at the intersection of the CORBENY
road and the R. R. track.
From this point the cos. will be conducted by the guides to their
respective positions in the trenches. Cos. A, B, and Pioneer Dtch. will
use for their route the ST. POL boyau. Cos. C, D, Bn. Hq., M. G. Co. and
37 mm. gun will use for their route the ST. OMER boyau.
4. At 7 o’clock p. m. each night on and after 3 Nov. 17, the ration
details from each organization will report at the point of rendezvous of
the guides to a N. C. O. from Bn. Hq. who will conduct them to the
kitchens at PONTAVERS for rations. Requests for material and ammunition
will be sent to the Bn. Cmdr. every morning to reach him before 6:30
o’clock a. m. Emergency requests made at other times will be filled as
far as possible from the Bn. Cmdr’s depot.
5. Company commanders will make a written report to Bn. Cmdr. as soon as
they have occupied their areas, and thereafter will make daily reports
to be submitted with their requests of material.
* * * * *
Major 80th Inf.,
Bn. Cmdr.
V. Plan of Defense
1st Bn., 20th Inf., 43rd Div.,
Bn. Command Post,
29 Nov. 17, 2 o’clock p. m.
Field Orders
No. 10
Map.
BERRY-AU-BAC N. O.
1. =Direction of Probable Attack.= The enemy may possibly make a frontal
attack starting from PLAINE and ENVER PASHA trenches and supporting it
on the left from L’ENCLUME WOOD, or a flank attack starting from PLAINE
redoubt for the purpose of striking our first line and ANSPACH trench
from the rear by first penetrating the sector on our right.
2. =Defense of the Center of Resistance.= When the assault develops Cos.
A. and C. in the first line, will maintain the defense of their own line
by their own means. The two machine guns located at 6501 ANSPACH trench
will be taken immediately to the right flank of Co. A, near POSTE DE
NEMOURS and take up a position to fire to the north toward L’ENCLUME
WOOD and to the east toward PLAINE redoubt. The C. O., Co. B, will place
a platoon permanently in the ST. POL boyau at the junction of the
ANSPACH trench, and, when the alarm is given will send it forward to
occupy and hold the POSTE DE NEMOURS salient in support of the M. G.
Platoon. When this platoon has moved forward, its place will be taken by
1 Platoon of Co. B, (located in ANSPACH trench between the ST. POL and
BONNET PERSAN boyaux) which will protect the right flank.
3. =Counterattack.= The two remaining Platoons of Co. B are assigned to
the commanders of Cos. A and C respectively for use in counterattack.
One Platoon will employ the BONNET PERSAN boyau, the other the LIEVIN
boyau. The Bn. Cmdg. will replace these two Platoons by two Platoons of
Co. D, in the 520 M. trench.
4. =Artillery Support.= The supporting artillery will establish a
barrage in No Man’s Land in front of the first line. The barrage will be
called by the usual signal.
5. =Supply.= The counterattack and reinforcing Platoons will carry 5
grenades per man in addition to their regular equipment.
* * * * *
Major 20th Inf.,
Bn. Cmdg.
VI. Order for a Raid
Field Orders
No. 12
1st Bn., 80th Inf.,
Bn. Command Post,
10 Nov., ’17, 2 p. m.
1. At 3 o’clock a. m., 20 Nov., ’17, a raid will be carried out against
the western salient of PLAINE TRENCH for the purpose of capturing
prisoners.
2. The raiding party will consist of a lieutenant, 10 hand grenadiers,
and 20 riflemen from Co. D, 80th Inf.
3. Two parties of grenadiers each will be furnished from the same Co. to
protect the flanks of the raiding party on each side of the salient. The
raiding party will penetrate the enemy’s first line by a frontal attack,
capture the defenders of the salient and return directly by the same
route. The raiding party will crawl into “No Man’s Land” in front of the
PLAINE salient until it reaches the enemy’s barbed wire and will prepare
detonators for the necessary breaches. The signal to explode the
detonators and rush into the salient will be given by the leader of the
raid by rocket. The raid will last ten minutes.
4. For ten minutes after the rocket signal the artillery will maintain a
barrage on the flanks and in the rear of the PLAINE salient to protect
the raiding party.
5. Co. C, which occupies the first line in front of the PLAINE salient,
will provide a supply of 60 detonators, 200 hand grenades, and 3 signal
rockets for use of the raiding party.
* * * * *
Major 80th Inf.,
Bn. Cmdr.