The noise on the firing line will be great. Leaders will be disabled and new men will take their places. Reinforcements coming up will cause units to become mixed. To the green man everything may appear to be in confusion, but this is not so. This is war as it really is. =If you have lost your section or your section leader, join the leader nearest to you.= This is the way the game is played. As long as the fight lasts every available rifleman must be kept in the firing line. The first and last consideration is to win the battle. =Therefore, under no circumstances will any soldier be permitted to go to the rear, either for ammunition or to assist the wounded.= If the attacking force can no longer advance, it is much safer to throw up hasty intrenchments and await the arrival of reinforcements or darkness than it is to retreat. Retreating troops are the ones that suffer the greatest. This lesson is taught by every great war. =Therefore, always remember that the safest thing to do is to stick to the firing line.= Troops on the firing line, when not actually engaged in firing at the enemy, busy themselves throwing up shelter trenches. It only requires a few minutes to construct a trench that gives great protection. =Therefore, never get separated from your intrenching tool.= Concealment is no less important than protection. Therefore, when conditions permit, as is generally the case when on the defensive, every effort should be made to hide intrenchments by the use of sod, grass, weeds, bushes, etc. In making an attack the infantry is always supported when possible by its own artillery, which continues to fire over its head until the infantry arrives very close to the enemy's trenches. This fire is helping you a great deal by keeping down the fire of the enemy's infantry and artillery. Therefore, don't think you are being fired into by your own artillery because you hear their shells and shrapnel singing through the air or bursting a short distance in your front, but rather be thankful you are receiving their help up to the very last minute. In the last rush which carries the enemy's position there is always much mixing of units. The firing line does not continue rushing madly as individuals after the enemy, but halts and fires on him until he gets out of good range. The pursuit is taken up by formed troops held in reserve or by the firing line only after its units are again gotten together. As the fighting often lasts all day, and great suffering is caused from thirst, =don't throw away your canteen when the fight commences=. It may also be impossible to get rations up to the line during the night. =Therefore, it is advisable to hold onto at least one ration.= As the recent war has shown the possibility of hand-to-hand fighting, especially at night, each soldier should be schooled in the use of the bayonet. The following has particular reference to the duties of platoon and section leaders and to the teamwork of the platoon in combat: