In an assault the enemy should be killed with the bayonet. Firing should be avoided. A bullet passing through an opponent's body may kill a friend who happens to be in the line of fire.
The Bayonet Assault
Training in the final assault is conducted only after the soldier has received a thorough course of instruction in the preliminary lessons and has acquired complete control over his weapons. This training must approximate as nearly as possible the conditions of actual fighting. Instructors should endeavor by every means in their power to arouse the interest and imagination of the men. Each problem should be carefully explained beforehand so that every man may have a complete knowledge of just exactly what is being attempted. Each target must be regarded as an armed opponent and each line of targets as an enemy line, attacking, defending or retiring, to be disposed of accordingly.
Any tendency towards carelessness and slackness must be corrected at once and all the men must be impressed with the fact that a practice assault that is not carried out with quickness, vigor and determination is worse than useless.
Lack of imagination or lack of understanding of what is being attempted, leading to a violation of the principles of tactics in practice assaults against dummy targets, can only lead to disaster in a real assault against the enemy.
Nervous tension, due to the anticipation of an attack, the advance across the open and the final dash at the enemy all combine to tire an assaulting party. It is only by their physical fitness and superior skill with the bayonet that they can overcome a comparatively fresh foe.
Accuracy in directing the bayonet when moving rapidly or surmounting obstacles; a thrust of sufficient force to penetrate clothing and equipment; a clean withdrawal, which requires no small effort, especially when the bayonet is fixed by a bone; are all of the greatest importance.
Method of Carrying the Rifle with Bayonet Fixed
1. A quick, short advance. Carry the rifle at the position of "High Port." This position is suitable for close formations. It minimizes risks of accidents when surmounting obstacles. It can be maintained with the left hand alone, allowing a free use of the right when necessary.
2. Long advance, in close formation. Carry the rifle slung over the left shoulder, barrel perpendicular, sling to the front. This allows the free use of both hands.
3. Long advance, in open order. Carry the rifle at the "Trail."
Teamwork
The importance of teamwork, discipline, and organized control throughout the conduct of the bayonet assault cannot be too strongly impressed upon the men. In this, as well as in all other tactical operations, success can only be achieved through the closest cooperation of all concerned. While individual initiative is to be encouraged, it must be strictly subordinated to the will of the leader of the assaulting party. The failure of an enterprize can usually be traced to the lack of this close cooperation.
The Advance
1. All members of the attacking party must "go over the top," that is, leave the trench, or rise from cover simultaneously.
2. The first stage, especially of a long advance, is slow and steady—not faster than the pace of the slowest man.
Such an advance has a decided moral effect on the enemy. It will produce the maximum shock at the moment of impact. It allows the attacking force to reach its objective without undue exhaustion. On the other hand, if the assault is allowed todevelop without control and in a haphazard fashion, the moral effect of the steady advance of a resistless wall of men is lost and the defenders will be given time to dispose of their opponents in detail.
The Charge
The actual charge will not be delivered over a greater distance than 20 paces. Within the last ten paces the piece will be brought to the position of guard. The alignment will be maintained as far as possible until actual contact is gained.
As soon as a position is carried and prior to any further advance or any other operation whatsoever, the line must be reformed and every precaution taken against a counter attack. In Trench Warfare, the indiscriminate pursuit with the bayonet must never be permitted unless orders to that effect have been given by the leaders of the assaulting party. The attacking troops are not so fresh as the enemy and experience has shown that unorganized pursuit is exposed to ambuscades and machine gun fire. In most cases the work of immediate pursuit is better accomplished by the supporting artillery assisted by therapid fire of the infantry on the retreating enemy.
Assault Practice
Throughout the period of training the men, the men should be constantly practiced in:
1. The recognized method of carrying the rifle with the bayonet fixed.
2. The rapid advance out of deep trenches.
3. Teamwork and control of advancing line. Fire discipline, direction and control.
4. The art of using the bayonet with effect in the cramped space of communication and fire trenches.
5. Reforming and opening fire after an assault.
6. Acting as leaders of an attacking party.
FINAL ASSAULT PRACTICE
One of the best methods of training a command in the final assault is to construct a section of trench, forming a course, over which the training may be conducted. The edges of the trenches should be protected by logs anchored back in the parapets or solid ground. Constant use will soon wear them down if this precaution is not taken. Cinders placed on the course are a great advantage, for they prevent the men from slipping.
When dummy targets are laid on the ground or on parapets, care should be taken to see that the earth under them is free from stones, otherwise bayonets will be injured when the thrust penetrates clear through the dummy and into the ground.
For this practice work it will be well to select the bayonets of the company that are most worn and use them exclusively.
Most interesting and practical problems in the tactics of trench warfare can be solved by combining the assault practice with other forms of training such as the operations of grenadier squads in clearingfire trenches and communication trenches; throwing hand grenades, to cover the assault; barricading with sandbags and the construction of trenches.
The illustration herein shows a type of Final Assault Practice course, that may be prepared with a minimum expenditure of labor and material. It occupies a space of about 100 feet in width and may be of varying depth according to the elements that it is desired to introduce. A platoon of four squads with the squad leaders taken out of the line and placed in rear to direct their squads, may be run over the course with safety after the men have had sufficient preliminary training. The elements of this course are:
1. A line of traversed type of fire trench. There being four bays, 18 feet long with 6 foot traverses. This trench is the simple type of standing trench shown in the profile.
2. A supervision trench located parallel to and about 50 feet in rear of the fire trench. Profile shown.
3. Communication zigzags from the supervision trench to the fire trench.
4. Two communication zigzags of three legs each running to the rear from the supervision trench.
5. The location of squad dugouts in rear of the bays of the fire trench and platoon dugouts just in rear of the supervision trench are indicated. It is not necessary for the purposes to excavate these. The location of the entrances in the trenches should be indicated.
The starting line is 40 feet in front of the traversed fire trench. This may be a deep trench or merely a line as desired. The trench gives good practice for the men in getting out of a fire trench, quickly and forming a line beyond. The whole system of trenches should be constructed on ground that can be easily drained.
Accessories
1. Portable gallows for the suspension of from one to four targets are constructed and located at such points as may be desired in the area between the fire trench and the supervision trench and that to the rear of the latter.
Gallows with Dummy.
2. Shell craters may be excavated in the open spaces mentioned above in which dummy targets may be placed.
3. Portable Turk's Head may be constructed and placed at such points as may be desired in the trenches or in the open spaces above ground.
4. Dummy targets may be placed where-ever desired.
TURK'S HEAD.
Dummies in Trenches.
Types of Dummies.
Targets
Target A.Consists of a portable gallows having one dummy target.
Target B.Consists of a portable gallows having two or more dummy targets.
Target C.Consists of a portable gallows the same as Target A, having a dummy target with the stick protruding to the front to represent the opponent's bayonet.
Target D.Consists of a dummy target to lie on the ground or rest against the side wall of the trench.
Target E.Is a Turk's Head.
Construction of Gallows
The gallows for targets A, B, and C is constructed as shown in the plate. Two standards are made as indicated and joined together by pieces of 2×4 of the desired length at A and B. For Target A this length should be about 6 feet; for Target B at least 5 feet should be allowed for each dummy. Where more than two targets are hung the top cross piece had better be a 4×4 instead of a 2×4.
Plan for Gallows for Dummies.
Construction of Dummies
The dummy may consist of a gunny sack filled with straw and packed tightly. It may be an old uniform stuffed with straw. A more elaborate form that tends to hold the bayonet when it is thrust into it may be made as follows:
1. Split a sack along the side and across the end forming a manta. Lay it on the ground.
2. Place a layer of straw about 20 inches wide and nearly the length of the sack, allowing a few inches at the top and bottom for folding over. Now place a layer of good stiff sod on the straw. Follow this with another layer of straw. Follow this of sod and straw until the dummy is 8 or 10 inches thick. Then put a one-quarter board with the grain up and down on top of the whole.
3. Fold in the sides and top tight and sew them together with a strong twine and a baling needle.
4. Run a strong rope around the outside edges, turning it at each corner to make a loop by which the dummy may be hanged to the gallows.
For those dummies that are to sit on the ground a piece of 2-inch plank placed across the bottom before the sacking is folded and sewed will form a good base. On these the rope will be omitted.
Construction of "Turk's Head"
On the end of a pole about six feet long place a ball of straw about 9 inches in diameter, packed tightly in gunny sacking. Sharpen the other end of the pole so that it may be stuck in the ground.
Construction of Parrying Dummy Target
Take one of the ordinary dummies. Put a Turk's Head on a stick about 4 feet long and nail some canvas or gunny sacking to the other end so that the edges will spread out. Sew the canvas to a point on the dummy about two-thirds of the way down the front and suspend it from the top with strong ropes attached to the upper corners of the dummy.
Discs on Target
With a view to attaining accuracy in thepoints, cardboard discs about 3 inches in diameter should be placed on the front of the dummies. The soldier should not merely try to hit the dummy with his bayonet, but he should endeavor to make hits on the discs.
EACH DUMMY MUST BE REGARDED AS AN ACTUAL ARMED OPPONENT
EXERCISES
The exercises that may be devised with this equipment are of an infinite variety, ranging from practice runs of one man to each bay of the trench, merely going into and out of the trenches, to an entire squad assaulting each bay with targets placed all along the course.
The following are suggested exercises:
Exercise 1
Number of men to make the run: Four, one at each bay.
Targets: No. 1.One Target D, half exposed on parapet at the left corner of Bay 4 to represent a man firing over the parapet.
No. 2.One Target D, resting against the rear wall of the fire trench of Bay 4, at the opening of the dugout, to represent a man just emerging from the squad dugout.
No. 3.One Target A, midway between the fire trench and the supervision trench.
No. 4.One Target E, in supervision trench.
No. 5.One Target D, in supervision trench at the entrance to the communication trench.
No. 6.One Target D, on the ground to the rear of the supervision trench. Note. Targets for the man making the run against Bay 4 are stated. Those for the other men making the run are similarly located.
The Run
The method of making the run will be explained for the man making the run at Bay 4. The other men proceed in a similar manner.
Being in the prone position at the starting point the soldier rises quickly to his feet and advances at the double time (not running) towards Target No. 1, the piece being carried at the "High Port." When within about 8 paces of Target No. 1 the piece is brought to the position of guard and when at the proper distance the target is attacked with a vigorous "Long Point." This is followed by a clean withdrawal.
The soldier then jumps into the fire trench and attacks Target No. 2 or attacks from over the fire trench as is desired. Hethen climbs out of the fire trench and continues his advance attacking Target No. 3 with a Long Point; No. 4 with a Long Point; No. 5 with a Short Point and No. 6 with a Long Point, each being followed by a clean withdrawal of the bayonet.
Exercise 2
Number of men to make run: Two squads, one at Bays 1 and 2, and the other at Bays 3 and 4.
Targets: The targets are given only for the four men making the run against Bay 4. Those for the other three bays are similarly arranged.
No. 1.Four Targets D, half exposed on parapet of bay to represent men firing over the parapet.
No. 2.Four Targets D, lying on ground or in shell crater a few feet in rear of the bay.
No. 3.Four Targets A or C, in the open area about midway between the fire trench and the supervision trench.
No. 4.Four Targets D in the bottom of the supervision trench.
No. 5.Four Targets E, a few yards in rear of the supervision trench.
The run is conducted in the same manner as explained for Exercise 1. Additional precautions will have to be taken to prevent the men from injuring one another with their bayonets.
The line attacks Target No. 1. The men jump over the fire trench landing on the parados and immediately attack Target No. 2. The line passes on towards Target No. 3, jumping all trenches encountered and attack Target No. 3 with a parry and a point if Target C is used and with a point if Target A is used. The line then goes into the supervision trench and attacks Target No. 4, climbing out immediately and advancing on Target No. 5 which is attacked by a "Jab."
In order to save time a second line may be started from the starting line when the first has passed beyond the fire trench and towards the supervision trench.
After the men have been taken through a thorough course of training in the individual instruction, problems should be devised in which a squad assaults a sectionof the trench system under the direction of the squad leader. This is followed by exercises conducted by the platoon leader, the strength of the platoon being as many squads as can be employed at one time on the front of the section of trench system available.
END
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