_The Director_: “Now, there is another point I want to bring out at this
time. You have pictured in your own mind this formation and advance of
one battalion of Infantry and the relief and retirement of another.
Along side of you to the right are two other battalions going through
the same process. The same is happening to your left and all along the
line. Behind you there are other battalions effecting reliefs. There are
batteries of artillery and transport vehicles, innumerable. In other
words the back area of a force in action is crowded with troops. There
is much activity effecting reliefs, getting up supplies and ammunition
and evacuating the wounded.
“The enemy is doing these same things. His back areas are just as
crowded as our own. He is no better off than we are in this respect.
“It is our job to interfere with him as much as possible—to prevent or
curtail movement, and inflict losses on him. The wounding or killing of
one man by harassing fire will have no effect on the outcome of the war,
but if we can kill and wound a thousand every night it will in time have
its effect.
“The enemy can get away from artillery fire by avoiding shelled areas
but he cannot get away from rifle and machine gun harassing fire for he
never knows when and where it is going to come.
“If there is sufficient small arms ammunition available and it can be
gotten up to the riflemen and machine gunners on the front lines the
back areas of the enemy can be made a perfect ‘hell-hole’ by means of
systematic harassing fire.
“Many of the men whom our men will relieve tonight will have ammunition
in bandoliers with them. By having our men take over this ammunition and
expending it tonight we can get a big increase in fire over the enemy
back areas. Our ammunition supply for tomorrow will not be impaired. The
men being relieved will be re-supplied when they get back to the
regimental reserve. I think arrangements should be made for this
procedure by the Major.”