Co-operation with Other Arms.— The at tack of entrenchments is hopeless without the aid of artillery. With Teference to the amount of artillery to be used, the opinion is general that there cannot be too much. Artillery and infantry without modern equipment exist only in name.
The infantry should designate objectives for the artillery, since it is this arm that appreciates the danger points and knows definitely where fire should be directed. The eyes of the artillery are the observers, who should be with the in fantry in the trenches. The artillery should place the guns where it pleases but the com mander and the observers, the brain and the eyes, must preserve the most intimate contact with the infantry. The attacking infantry re quires two things: (1) To know where to go and to see how to go; (2) to receive the great est possible assistance from the artillery before, during and after the assault. The most dan gerous period of all for the attackers is after the position is taken when the enemy concen trates his fire upon it and makes a counter as sault. Surprise action by concentrated artillery fire is to be sought. The maximum effect in the shortest period of time should be striven for, as this naturally renders the surprise more complete.
It is a grave mistake to try to fix in advance the time of duration of the artillery fire. The fire should continue until in the opinion of the commander of the attacking force, it has ac complished its purpose. When the infantry ad vances to the assault the artillery protects it with a curtain of fire to the front and both flanks.
To guarantee a close co-operation between the artillery and its own infantry, artillery offi cers should accompany the advanced infantry lines. The infantry commander has not always the time to communicate to the artillery ob server everything that is wanted from the artillery. The observer, by reason of his techni cal knowledge, can be of great assistance in advising the infantry commander as to the best methods to pursue to bring about effective ar tillery support. But in order to carry out a mission of this kind, the observer should have a thorough knowledge of the details of the infantry combat to appreciate what is happen ing around him.
Infantry Machine Guns.— Three machine gun platoons form a part of each regiment of French infantry. In order to avoid premature exposure to hostile fire the platoon advances under cover to a position for unpacking, from which the guns, after being prepared for ac tion, are carried forward to a position in readi ness. Great care in reconnoitering and taking up the firing position is enjoined, in order that the position of the guns may not be disclosed.
The regulations recognize three methods of fire: Distributed fire, the normal method, which calls for sweeping the designated target from flank to flank with 100 rounds once or twice; continuous fire, in which the fire continues until interrupted from time to time by the chief of piece as the target disappears momentarily; and unit fire, which is delivered by using the gun substantially as a rifle, thus stimulating rifle fire and preventing the premature disclosure of the presence of a machine gun.
Normally only one of the two guns of the platoon is fired. Firing with both guns at the same time is exceptional and is justified, only against a particularly threatening portion of the hostile force; that is, against a deep, broad and only momentarily visible target.
Machine guns are a valuable aid to infantry engaged at close ranges. They are to be re garded as a movable fire reserve. In order that they may be concentrated at the time and place at which fire superiority becomes essential, they should not be put into action prematurely.
The machine gun is valuable mainly at short and mid ranges, and becomes especially effective when it may be used in enfilading a line or in rolling up a flank. Its value is com paratively small against a target of little depth or a line with great intervals.
Machine guns are placed to the best ad vantage immediately in rear of a flank or in, rear of intervals in the most advanced line, To fire over or other troops by way of supporting them is to be thought of only when the terrain renders possible two or more lines of fire, one above the other.