The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-29
new War EQUIPMENT.
TRENCH KNIVES REPIACE nav.
ONET AND THE RIFLE.
Bloody Hand to Hand work Ros,
Done With New Wcapon-Amcrican
Soldiers to BE Trained.


Soldiers to BE Trained.
The hand to hand character of
modern trench warfare is sharn,v H.
lustrated in detailed tables OF ory.r;-
zation Tor American overseas infan-
try units. made public by the war d.
partment Sunday.
Only a few years ago the wise mon
OF all armies predicted that because
OF long range artillery and rifles and
automatic and machine guns, the
troops would never come to actual
grips. The complete reorganization
OF the whole infantry service outlin-
ed in the new tables, however. is
based on the proven fact that the
battle will be decided by the foot
soldiers. fighting breast to breast
with bombs. bayonets and knives.
Included in the equipment Of
American regiments which enter the
trenches are trench knives" one of
the most up-to-date Developments of
European battleflelds. Each infantry
division will have 416 machise guns
Less than two years ago the Ameri-
can army had not more than 1900
Of these weapons for it's entire and
reserve stock.
American troops will enter the
trenches equipped and organized in
a way that no other army engaged
In the war has been able to provide.
Every lesson learned by the Allies
has been adopted.
The tables fix an infantry platoon
as the operating limit. 1t will be
composed of SO enlisted men under
lieutenant. In each platoon there
will be a section Of % bombers and
rifle grenadiers. two sections of "a
rifiemen-the only survival Of the
old nfantryman-and one section of
IL auto-rifiemen who will handle
the light machine guns.
This means that there will be four
light machine guns on the line for
every 60 men. backed by the regi-
mental and divisional machine gun
battalions and companies armed. with
the heavy, water-cooled weapons
that are the real first line of defense
in trench warfare.
The use OF trench knives sup
plants the old rifle and bayonet, for
40 men in each company of $50.
These terrible weapons are long,
keen knives and are made for use
In trench raids by men who can not
be encumbered with rifles and bayo-
nets because of their special duties.
Each company Of an infantry regi-
ment will have four of these typical
piatoons and each company will have
10S. officers and 1852 men. one Sec
ton of the headquarters company
being armed with three one-pounder
guns. Each regimental machine gun
company will carry IL heavy guns
and four reserve weapons.
The headquarters company will be
the largest unit in the regiment, hav-
ing seven officers and 2s4 men. In
addition to the one FOUNDER section,
there will be a signal platoon with
special trench telephone detachment,
and sappers and bombers section and
platoon Of pioneers for regimental
engineering work.
The strength Of the tactical unit.
the infantry division, has been in
creased from 1900. the old typical
European division Of 27.152 men of
all arms. Its structure remains the
same. In the divisional and battal-
ion organization provision is made
for an additional heavy machine gun
battalion making a total of IA ma
chine gun companies of this type to
the division, or 168 active and sc
spare guns.