New Britain herald., 1917-07-18
SHOCK UNITS lead
GERMANS in ACTION
Army Now Divided Into Two Di-
visions Of Fighting Men
CHANGES FOR DEATH GREAT
All Men Expected to Sacrifice Them
selves in Attack ON Nearly Impreg-
nable Positions-Are Transferred
From Point to Point on Front.

u
Correspondence Of Associated Press.)
FRENCH Front, June 1-F'ull and in
teresting details of the organization
of the German formations known as
"stoss trupen" or "shock units indi-
cate that the German army at the
front is now divided into superior and
inferior grades of soldiers. The
"shock units" specially formed for
difficult operations which the ordi-
nary regiments evidently are regarded
as unqualified to undertake. are
formed from among the young, Wig
orous men of the regular battalions.
They are nearly all unmarried men,,
or if married are childless. These
regulations have been drafted for the
reason that whenever sent into action
the men encounter overwhelming
chances of losing their lives. They in
fact, resemble the ''forlorn hopes" of
old-time wars except that they are
not volunteers
German prisoners assert that SOL
diers who are insubordinate or who
do not take kindly to the discipline
OF the army are sent into the ranks
of these special units destined to sac
rif1ce themselves in attacks on spe-
cially important positions or in at
tempts which hitherto have generally
proved vain, to re-capture positions
such as the Chemin des Danes from
the French
Units to Each Corps.
Until now each German army has
had attached to it one or two bat
talions of these ''shock units Hence
forth. according to the newest regula-
tons, each German army corps is to
organize a ''shock unit" of its own.
Orders have been issued by the Ger
man high command that in certain
cases each infantry brigade is to have
a shock unit consisting Df COM
pany and the companies may be unit
ed, should circumstances call for 1T,
into battalion to be at the service
of the army corps commander.
The com position of such a battalion
varies, but that Of the second "shock
battalion of the third German army.
may be given as an example. 1t was
commanded by captain with a
lieutenant as adjutant and 1t consisted
of four companies each mum bering
one hundred men with three officers.
There was besides a company of ma
chine gunners with six pieces, also a
mixed company with trench mortare
and grenade throwers, as well as a
company of men armed with imple-
ments for dispensing liquid fire Added
to these was "shock' battery of
small field guns.
Transferred From Point to Point.
These shock units are never used
for the holding of a sector of the line.
They so into action only when diff
cult opera ton is to be executed. The
battalion is placed directly under the
orders Of the officer in command of
the operation. When possible the
men are all provided with bicycles,
but usually they are transferred in
fast motor cars to the place where
their services are required.
Often part of the men of such
a battalion are distributed in small
units among the ordinary bat
talions engaged. They are specially
instructed before hand as to the most
important points aimed at in the at
tack and they act as guides to their
less specialized comrades. Their work
is to make breaches in the enemy
line, to lead the way into the Allies
trenches to destroy machine gun enl-
placements and field fortresses with
the help of the special cannon and
other weapons at their disposal, and
eventually to aid in the reorganization
for defense against counter attacks of
any position which may be captured.
AS soon as the heavy fighting Is
over the men of the shock units with
draw to the rear and rejoin the rest
of the battalion in readiness to be
hurried off to any other part OF the
line where hot work is in progress.