, 1915-07-03
TRENCHES.

which the two opponents fnce one another
over q vast rauge OF country entrenched only
by n few hundred feet apart, are not entire
~ new. TheY occurred in the later stage of
the American Civil War, when either army
became so expert i'll entrenching that 1t could
dig itself III within twenty -four hours, aud
the battles degenerated into vast seige oper-
ations.
The,modern trenches, which form the out
er line of eithe position, are not designed
in the beautiful mathematica figures beloved
OF Vauban. They are irregularly traced and
a. far as possible mike use Of natural obsta-
Giles and follow natural lines. They are not
continuous, though the obstacles in their
front, in the form Of bArhed wire entaugle-
ments. generally are. They are little groups
of burrows and delviDgs in the soil or mud,
ant-hills which, when time is given and q
position ia long occupied, steadily grow more
and more elaborate and complicated.
The curved indentatiens in the trench line
are the ira verses. These may best be de-
scribed as ramparts OF earth, and their OBJ
ject is to prevent the trench from being
''enfladed" or swept by rife or artillery fire
from end to end, and to limit the destruction
caused by shlapnel and shells. They are
placed at short intervals and they give good
shelter. They can also be used as defensive
positions in case the enemy enters the trench
from one end and attempts to fight his way
down il.
Head cover in a trench means that posi-
tions are provided for the men where their
heads are protected in the act of firing. The
usual method of giving this protection is by
loop holes. ''Overhead cover" means that
the troops have shelter above their heads
usually of earth supported by timber but
sometimes of STEEL plate-which gives secu-
rj:y from shrapnel or shell bursting above,
and which can only be penetrated, where
there is a good thickness of earth or
protective material, by large calibre shells
falling actually on the shelter.
In front of the outer trenches are "obser-
walton posts" where n man remains on the
look out, listening to what the enemy say
and watching for any sign of mining opera
tione. These can easily be heard If the ear
is laid low 20 the ground. The observation
post is approached by a narrow winding
trench, and very often to get into this trench
from the main trench the man has to crawl
Oh hands and knees through a small hole. 1t
is important that access along it should rot
be too easy as the enemy might use it, when
assaulting, to enter the line.
TO the rear Of the outer trenches are
trenches for the supports, and on the flank
OF each trench where the Germans are con-
& rueu Il u maculHe-Buu pOSItlOus 80 btGeU
that from it the ground in front of the trench
can be swept. The supports trenches are
connected with the advanced trenches by
''nrproaches." These are zigzag in trace.
so that no long stretch can be swept by the
eneml's fire. If carried straight from the
rear to the front they would be liable to be
epiiaded or raked Whenever the enemy
opened fire. Similar trenches are carried
from the supports position to the rear, in
case the ground is such as 10 expose men
entering or leaving the trenches to fire from
snipers or machine guns which the enemy
keep trained on certain points and fire at the
least sign Of any movement. 1t is a fact that
i'll both armies heavy casualties are frequent
ly inflicted when troops in the trenches are
being relieved and men are passing over the
fre-swept zone behind the trenches.
"Dug-outs," which are frequently men
toned, rs the nam suggests. are chambers
excavated in the ground. They are placed
well below the surface in the back wall of
the trench, so as to obtain protection from
heavy shells. In them the men live and
sleep when not actually on duty or fighting,
and in them cooking is done.
The entanglements, which protect the
ground in ron of the advanced trenches,
are generally of barbed wire fastened to