The Project Gutenberg eBook, Handy War Guide for My Company, by André Godefroy Lionel Hanguillart, Edited by Louis Joseph Alexandre Mercier, Translated by Louis Joseph Alexandre Mercier
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Handy War Guide for My Company
Handy Company Commander's Guide
Author: André Godefroy Lionel Hanguillart
Editor: Louis Joseph Alexandre Mercier
Release Date: December 6, 2013 [eBook #44370]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HANDY WAR GUIDE FOR MY COMPANY***
E-text prepared by Emmy
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net)
from page images generously made available by
Internet Archive
(https://archive.org)
Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/handywarguidefor00hang
HANDY
WAR GUIDE FOR
MY COMPANY
Written at the front by
Captain Hanguillart
of the French Army
Translated and edited by
Louis J. A. Mercier, A.M.
First Lieutenant, Harvard R. O. T. C.
Interpreter with British Expeditionary Force on the
French Front 1914-17.
————————
"DASH UNDER DISCIPLINE"
————————
Copyright, 1918
by
R. D. CORTINA COMPANY.
The Cortina Academy of Languages
New York
1918
TABLE.
Part I.
Trench Life and Trench Warfare Taking over the Trenches 11 Care and Improvement of the Trenches 14 The Watch from the Trenches 17 Patrolling 22 Interrogating Prisoners
Part II.
French Infantry Combat Principles. Open Warfare 53 The Approach 55 Precautions against Silent Artillery 58 Crossing a Bombarded Zone 59 Use of Woods as Shelter 64 To Cross a Crest 65 The Fire Attack
Appendix
A Division Front in Trench Warfare.
By THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS
150 Lafayette Street
New York City
PREFACE.
The first part of Captain Hanguillart's little book "Petit Guide pratique de Guerre pour ma compagnie" has been incorporated in the new manuals of instruction published for the young recruits of the French army by the official military publishing house "Librairie Militaire Berger-Levrault," the editors of the "Annuaire officiel de l'Armée."[A]
Its special value comes from the fact that it was written at the front and is wholly based on the orders which Captain Hanguillart drew up for the instruction of his own company and tested repeatedly through actual experience.
Thus its very omissions are significant.
The text as it stands represents essentials.
Its every paragraph is a unit of tried advice.
It embodies the practical data that has secured results.
It sums up the cautions that have saved lives.
In the second part, Captain Hanguillart has merely reproduced the French Infantry Combat principles long published in the official manual for the instruction of platoon leaders.
In presenting this little work, no claim is made that it is adequate to the complete instruction of company commanders.
Captain Hanguillart's book should be carefully compared with these. But because of its peculiar origin it has for the officer a value not possessed by other books on this subject.
It gives what a company commander actually found essential.
Furthermore, it corresponds to the booklets published in France which are placed in the hands of every recruit.
Every officer should have full knowledge of his specialty, but every private should understand the essential concerns of his officers so as to appreciate orders the more readily.
The army of democracy should be an intelligent thinking army.
Such little books have helped to give the French poilu his famed self-reliance and resourcefulness.
It is the hope of the publishers that this translation may help to do the same for his American comrades.
The publishers also believe that the book offers just the information needed by civilians to follow intelligently reports of military operations and of life at the front.
The editor has felt it his duty in rearranging the loose notes of Captain Hanguillart to respect scrupulously the text, though, at times, the best way to do so was through a free translation.
The paragraphs have been numbered and questions
Cambridge, Mass.
FOOTNOTE:
[A] Cf Chapuis. Instruction théorique et générale du soldat pour la période de guerre. 27e édition, January 1917.
Part I.
Trench Life and Trench
Warfare.
TRENCH LIFE AND TRENCH WARFARE.
TAKING OVER THE TRENCHES.
The battalions of a Brigade occupying a given sector of the front are billeted when out of the trenches, in the villages closest to their sector. Cf. appendix.
When their turn comes to relieve the battalions in the trenches, the officers in charge should have the following instructions carried out:
CARE AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE TRENCHES.
THE WATCH FROM THE TRENCHES.
Trench warfare, the inevitable form of modern warfare, is a continuous series of outpost duty. Hence it is based wholly on eternal vigilance. The patrols correspond to the scouts; the listening posts to the sentinels; the firing trench to the outguards; the cover trench to the supports. The safety of the sector depends entirely on the vigilance of the advanced elements and the rapidity with which supports and the reserves can be summoned.
Watching is thus the fundamental duty in trench warfare.
The following points should be kept in mind:
AT ALL TIMES
There must
The men on duty should have bayonets fixed as, in case of a possible surprise, they are needed for defense. Otherwise too, fixing bayonets would be an indication to the enemy of an impending raid.
DURING THE DAY.
When the terrain opposite is open country, the necessary observation may be done by the smallest possible number of men. Fire only, if any of the enemy are sighted. Then, have two rounds fired, then three. But keep fire under strict control. (If enemy continues to approach. Cf. par. 52 ff.)
When the terrain is covered (high brush wood, copses, trees, etc.) a sharpshooter in each section should fire occasionally into the trees, etc., which may be observation or sharpshooters' posts but this should not be overdone.
AT NIGHT.
Post double sentinels in each section, each man watching in turn, the other resting but within call.
They should refrain from making the least noise so as to hear and not be heard.
There should be no firing when the enemy fires since when the enemy fires, he does not advance.
They should keep a sharp lookout but listen even more attentively.
Sentinels in the listening posts should listen especially for the noise of crushed branches, stirring leaves, slight noise of arms or utensils.
If enemy is detected, these sentinels should hasten back to fire trench to give the alarm quietly so that the enemy may be surprised.
They should fire only if they are themselves caught unawares.
Listening posts should not be too numerous, about two per battalion.
If there are no listening posts, patrols should be sent out to favorable spots especially at sundown and before sunrise.
If the night is clear and the terrain is open, proceed as during the day: If the enemy is sighted or heard, fire in short volleys. In case of doubt throw grenades with the first volley.
Otherwise, absolute silence should be observed. No firing whatever.
If the night is dark, to avoid surprise, keep up firing: One man per section should fire in turn, from time to time varying the direction.
If digging by the enemy is reported, cease firing. Have it located, throw bombs followed by volleys. Notify sappers for counter mining.
If enemy fires, note where light appears.
Locate sharpshooters in advantageous posts behind the trenches (trees, etc.). Have them fire into the enemy's listening posts and into the enemy's trench, especially wherever light appears. These posts should not be occupied during the day.
Send out patrols, stationary or mobile.
PATROLLING.
The aim: to supplement the work of the listening posts and of the sentinels through more forward observation. To discover the movements and the operations of the enemy. To locate his emplacements.
To keep in close touch with the enemy so as to take advantage of his possible weaknesses: lack of watchfulness, of ammunition, of sufficient troops. To verify, repair and complete advance defences. To get the exact range of enemy's positions. To bring back prisoners.
Patrols should be on duty through the night but be specially watchful before sunrise.
N. C. O. and men should be assigned to patrol duty by roster or as volunteers. In the former case, if there is reason to think that a patrol has not done its best to secure information, the same men should be sent out again.
Neighboring companies should be notified of the departure, route and probable time of return of patrols. If several patrols are sent out at the same time they should know one another's itinerary.
The men (3 to 5 commanded by N. C. O.) should carry no impediments and their dress should not interfere with ease of movements: sweaters should be worn instead of overcoats. The woolen cap or comforter should be worn as they cover most of the face. Slits should be cut for the ears that hearing be not interfered with. The helmet should always be worn over comforter. Also dark gloves to hide the hands. No equipment save the rifle, the bayonet fixed or carried in the hand, (no bayonet scabbard), a few hand grenades.
Patrols should crawl forward or advance by short dashes, silently, stop often and for long periods, listen intently.
If the enemy sends up lighting rockets (flares) or fires volleys, lie flat on the ground until he stops.
If a small hostile patrol approaches, do the same, throw a stone or two so as to turn its attention away and take advantage of this to surprise it. If men of enemy's patrol give the alarm, kill them—lie flat on ground during enemy's volleys which will follow. Then strip bodies of distinctive uniform badges, and search for papers, etc. Otherwise bring men back as prisoners.
Patrols should exercise initiative, take advantage of circumstances, in devising ways of bringing back the greatest possible amount of useful information.
INTERROGATING PRISONERS.
One of the chief aims of patrolling is to bring back prisoners from whom information may be gathered.
The General Staff is interested to know the nationality, the division, the age, etc. of prisoners captured in a given sector.
But these are of little value to the battalion or company commander. Hence, when possible, they should ask the prisoners questions more pertinent to the organization of the enemy sector opposite:
How strongly are your various lines held?
Where are the C. O. Post and the officers' dugouts?
When and by what routes are the reliefs made, how often and on what days
At what time are rations brought or served?
What is the actual muster of the company?
How many regular army officers, how many reserve officers? What do the men think of their officers?
How many advanced posts? How many men in each, by day and by night? Do they have grenades and how are they relieved?
How many men are sent out on patrol, how often, at what time, by what route coming and going? How are they dressed and armed? What are their instructions?
What does the enemy know about our own patrols?
Are snipers placed in trees during the day and at night? If so, what trees are used. What parts of our sectors can they see?
Are they planning any raids? Do they anticipate raids by us?
What work are they carrying on during the day and at night?
Have they any idea of our own activities?
What is the nature and the location of their accessory defences?
What is the location of their machine guns, trench mortars?
Have they any asphyxiating gas or liquid fire apparatus?
Have they abundant supplies of hand grenades, etc., etc.
DEVICES TO DRAW THE ENEMY'S FIRE.
Any devices which lead the enemy to waste ammunition or to expose themselves is a clear gain.
Many may be readily devised and officers and men should be encouraged to do so. The following have often proved successful:
Remain absolutely quiescent during several days. This may lead the enemy to send out patrols or raiding parties which may be the more surely destroyed. They should be allowed to approach to the wire entanglements before a shot is fired.
On dark nights, have all firing stop. Throw stones by hand or with slings, a dozen at a time toward the enemy's trench. This will lead him to fire repeated volleys and waste ammunition in his fear of an attack, especially if the trenches are in wooded terrain and there are leaves on the ground. Repeat several times during the night.
Patrols may also tie strings to the enemy's barb wire. On dark nights pulling on the string may lead the enemy to fire.
Decoys may be arranged in trees or stuck up momentarily over the parapet. They will draw the enemy's fire.
If the enemy's trenches are near enough for the sound to carry, whistles may be blown all along the line before a volley. They may be blown again after the command to omit the volley. The enemy may continue to fire indefinitely.
Let the aim of all these devices be to make the enemy waste ammunition and to save your own. On the other hand, the enemy is likely to attempt like ruses and many others which are not permissible such as the use of white flags or raising hands to indicate pretended surrender.
A legitimate ruse, of which the enemy is fond and which should be guarded against, consists in their firing blank cartridges to mask an advance of their men. It is clear that men do not advance while bullets are fired from their own trenches. Nor does one fire in retaliation until the enemy's fire ceases. A little attention will be sufficient to spoil this plan as, when only blank cartridges are fired, no bullets will whiz by. As long as the enemy fires blank cartridges, withhold your own fire, be on guard against the appearance of patrols and be ready to receive them when they draw near.
In case the enemy sends up flares, patrols should lie flat and motionless till after the volley which often follows. The sentinels in the fire trench should note spot where flare was sent up and abstain from firing unless enemy is sighted out of his trenches.
If a machine gun opens fire from the trench opposite, try to locate it through the light and sound at night, through sound and actual sight during the day.
Fire a converging volley of two rounds in its direction, and repeat, but not over six rounds if unsuccessful.
At the same time let trench mortars fire bombs in the same direction.
If enemy's artillery fires upon trenches (Cf. par. 69 ff.)
AN ATTACK.
THE REPULSE.
As has been stated (par. 15 and 22) in case enemy patrols approach, volleys of two, then of three rounds should be fired. Keep cool. Do not fire prematurely.
The firing should be done over the parapet and not through the loopholes.
If the sentinels report that an attack is developing, every one on duty takes his post.
Flares are sent up from each section.
Trench mortars fire bombs with the first volley.
If the attack materializes, repeat volleys and trench mortar discharge and open fire with the machine guns.
(On dark nights, in covered terrain, the machine guns should be fired with the first volley.)
Hand grenades should be thrown as soon as the enemy is within 30 yards.
The grenadiers of the odd number squads should aim to throw their grenades upon the assailants while those of the even number squads should try to establish a barrage by throwing behind the assailants.
The trench mortars are aimed at the enemy's trench.
The machine guns fire directly at the assailants, with slight differences in height of aim, (knee high, waist high, etc.) according to the directions previously given to each man.