The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-11-15

: attached great significance 20
what learned about our infantry az
Cambria ion his visit to the Somue
battle front in September. 1870
about their tactics and preparations,
without doubt they fought too dog
getly. ciinging too rcsolutely TO the
mere holding Of ground. with the re
suit that the losses were heavy.
The deep dugouts and cellars often
became fatal man traps. The use OF
the rifle was being forgotten. hand
grcnades had become tho chief
weapons and the equipment Of the
infantry with machine guns aud
similar weapons had fallen far be-
hind that OF the enemy.
The field marshal and I could for
The moment only ask that the front
unes should be held more lightly. the
osrp underground works be- destroyed
~ al trenches and posts be given
- u the retention Of them were un.
neresSnry TO the maintenance OF the
pol1ticn as q whole. and likely 10 be
~ cause Of heavy losses The prob
lens OF the reorganization and equip
mont OF the infantry could be dealt
with only step By step.
The excessive use OF hand grenades
had come about because these could
- usefully and safely employed from
behind shelter. whereas a man using
= rife must leave his cover. In the
close fighting OF some OF our under.
tAkinEs. and also In tho large scale
attacks by the enemy. where the
fighting at any moment came 10 be
man to man. hand grenades were
reader weapons for Impractical men
and easier TO use than rifles. the lat.
trr also having the disadvantage of
getting dirty easily.
One could understand that. but in
fantry must keep able 20 hold the
enemy or and TO fight from a dis.
tancc. When 1t came to hand to-hand
0ghtinx. the superiority OF the
enemy in men was much too great.
Nm MUST
LEARN To SHOOT
Ihe infantry soise-- nad forgotten
~ shooting thru the use Of Eren-
49, He had 20 r~-iearn Il. He had
- reacquirc confidence In his
weapon. and that meant that he must
bcrcuse master Of IL. That was easier
- advise than to get accomplished.
In the short training given TO our
new drafts little could be accom-.
plished. even II the attempt were
made. Complete trimming was
possible only under the conditions OF
peace. IL the use OF the rifle were 20
BE- real protection when war came.
10 the case OF the hostile infantry.
the strength OF the men had been
greatly Increased by machine guns:
Ne. on the other hand. had still to
rciy chiefly on our men. We had
every reason 10 be sparing Of them.
An important change. moreover. had
secured: the machine gun had to
become chief firing weapon OF the
infantry. The companies must be pro
vided with new light machine guns.
the serving OF which must be done
by the smallest possible number Of
men Our existing machine guns In
The machine gun sections were too
heavy for the purpose.
In order TO strengthen our fire. a,
least in the most important parts OF
the chief theatre Of war. Il was
necessary TO create special machine
gun companies---so TO speak, ma.
chine gun sharpshooters. Already a
beginning had been made: 1t was
necessary to consolidate and to in.
crease IL.
The fighting power OF the infan.
try had to be further strengthened
~ trench mortars and bomb throw
ers. The supply OF all quick loading
weapons had TO be increased.
Lastly. the formation Of storm
troops from the infantry. which had
begun during the war. had not only
TO be regularized but to be adapted
to the common good. The instruc-
ton formation ana the storm bat
talions had proved their high value
both intrinsically and for the i'm.
provement of the infantry generally.
They were examples to be Initiated
by the other men.
DOOMED THE
DEEP DUGOUTS
The course of the Somme battle
had also supplied important lessons
with respect to the construction and
plan Of our lines. The very deep un.
foreground forts in the front line
trenches had to be replaced by shall
lower constructions. Concrete pill.
boxes" which. however. unfortunate
iy took long to build, had acquired
an increasing value.
The conspicuous lines Of trenches,
which appeared as sharp lines on
every aerial photograph, supplied
Tar too good target for the enemy