The Germans have broken through our front line. Your company, with its four Lewis guns and with four Vickers guns which have been placed under your command, has been hastily thrown into the trench _B_, which is well constructed and well concealed, and has a good field of fire to the east. Four 18-pounder guns were in action at a hundred yards north of the trench _B_, but two of these guns have already been put out of action by the enemy’s artillery. The Germans are advancing in great numbers regardless of sacrifice and are now about a mile distant. Their object is evidently to take the ridge _A C_, and it is of the utmost importance that they should be frustrated in their endeavours. The front allotted to you to defend runs from _Z_ Clump on the north to _U_ Farm on the south. Other troops are responsible outside these limits. You have in the trench _B_ 50,000 rounds of ammunition besides that which the men have on them. You are senior to the officer in command of the remaining two 18-pounders. What action would you take? and give your reasons. _Comments on the Situation and Action adjudged Correct._ Let us first of all consider how many rounds a minute you could expect the troops under your command to fire in the following circumstances: (_a_) If the fire were only to be continued for two minutes. (_b_) If it were to be kept up for half an hour. Rounds. (_a_) If it were to be kept up for two minutes only, you might expect 100 infantrymen to fire from fifteen to twenty rounds a minute (let us say) 3,200 Four Lewis guns to fire 600 rounds each in the two minutes 2,400 Four Vickers to fire 750 rounds each in two minutes 3,000 ----- 8,600 (_b_) If the fire were to be kept up for half an hour you might justly expect infantry to fire at an average rate of five rounds a minute 15,000 It would be unwise to attempt to exceed this average rate of fire, for even if your men were muscularly able to continue firing at a greater rate, it is a known thing that the nervous strain of firing is such that there are but few men who can fire 200 rounds consecutively without breaking down, and it is of paramount importance that you should keep a certain amount of reserve force in hand in case the enemy gets to a really close range.