Trench Warfare: A Manual for Officers and Men

Chapter 16: RESERVE DUGOUTS

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About This Book

A practical manual offers step-by-step guidance for locating, excavating, and defending trench systems, treating dugouts, revetments, floors and drainage, communication and support trenches, and observation and listening posts. It covers field fortifications and obstacles such as wire entanglements, abatis, fougasses, and barricades, and details explosives, hand grenades, gas agents and respirators, plus bomb organization and training. Tactical and daily duties for small-unit leaders are described, including patrols, sniping, machine-gun emergency use, reliefs and working parties, while chapters address sanitation, dumps, latrines and prevention of trench ailments. Illustrative sketches and practical notes accompany procedural recommendations and materials guidance.

RESERVE DUGOUTS

These dugouts protect the local reserves from which supports are supplied and are used for purposes similar to those for which the immediate support dugouts are employed, but on a great deal larger scale. These dugouts are generally near battalion headquarters and from 500 to 1,500 yards behind the firing line. The chief considerations in siting the positions of these dugouts are three: First: facilities for rapid and easy transit to the support and fire-trenches; second: concealment; third: comfort. Comfort should be secondary to the other conditions affecting the siting of the system.