Tactics and duties for trench fightingBertrand, Georges Etienne
History
Tactics and duties for trench fighting
Bertrand, Georges Etienne
Intrenchments
The large trench mortars are commanded by an artillery officer who keeps
himself constantly in liaison with the commander of the center of
resistance. He consults the latter on the location of his mortars and
especially upon their use. He also reports to the commander of the
center of resistance all orders he receives from his artillery chief.
This artillery officer always works in co-operation with the chief of
his area, who in turn gives him all necessary information and help.
Especially does the mortar commander require help for the supply of
ammunition.
Artillery Support in a Sector
=Composition of the Artillery Support.= The light artillery of this
sector is not directly under the command of the Division Commander.
The Commanding Officer of the light artillery, usually a Colonel, in
cooperation with the chief of the sector, divides it into different
parts, assigning one to each of the centers of resistance. This
artillery is called support artillery. As we shall see later this
practice is usually the same in the offensive.
The amount of artillery allotted as support depends upon the tactical
situation, in other words, the activity of the enemy.
In the Verdun and Champagne offensives the disposition of light
artillery was the same in principle as that for the defensive, that is
to say, one troop of artillery consisting of 3 batteries was assigned to
each infantry battalion.
The general use of this artillery, is:
(_a_) To protect the infantry with barrage fire.
(_b_) Prosecution of destruction of the enemy’s personnel and works.
=Tactical Liaison between Infantry and Orderly.= To carry out its
functions, the artillery support must be in perfect liaison with the
infantry, and only when this is done is co-operation of the two arms
possible. This liaison is obtained by the following five means:
(_a_) Organization of Leadership:—For the full co-operation of the
infantry and artillery, the latter is not kept entirely independent, but
is divided and assigned to infantry unit. Each chief of sector and each
chief of center of resistance knows what artillery must support him if
he needs it. The commander of the artillery support is not exactly under
the command of the infantry chief of area, but he is at the latter’s
disposal for certain calls for support fire. The proper co-operation of
these two officers will give efficient results.
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