Training for the Trenches: A Practical Handbook Based upon Personal Experience During the First Two Years of the War in FranceVickers, Leslie
History
Training for the Trenches: A Practical Handbook Based upon Personal Experience During the First Two Years of the War in France
Vickers, Leslie
Defensive (Military science); Intrenchments; Military hygiene; Offensive (Military science); Siege warfare; World War, 1914-1918
Dummy guns, of course, have played a large part, and have been
responsible for the waste of a great deal of ammunition. They are
placed where they can be observed by the aeroplanes, who promptly
report their presence. It is said that at the Dardanelles the forts
once opened fire on the battleship _Queen Elizabeth_. After a while
they sank her--and her guns floated off! It is telling no secret now
to say that many of the units in the British navy had duplicates
constructed out of old vessels. Their business was to draw fire to
themselves while other craft did the work. Hence the wooden guns. They
served another purpose as well, for it was very difficult for spies to
inform Germany where the real fighting ships were at any time.
In short, the whole business is to "get the enemy's goat." Keep him
guessing. Wear him down with worrying. Break his nerve and spoil his
sleep, that his physical resistance may be weakened. On the other hand,
learn to estimate the intention on the enemy. Do not underrate him. In
all cases and under all circumstances follow out the excellent motto of
the Boy Scouts--
BE PREPARED.
Transcriber's Notes
Hyphen removed: "dugout" (p. xii, Figures 7-9), "loopholes" (p. 66).
p. 105: "and" changed to "an" (the only method of delivering an
infantry attack).
p. 120: duplicate "to" removed (excellent practice to have strapped).
End of Project Gutenberg's Training for the Trenches, by Leslie Vickers
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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