Derbyshire Lads: The Sherwood Foresters: Manual: Trench Warfare

Officer's Training Manual

Trench Warfare

Lieut. Harding Newman

Part IV NOTES FROM FRONT

The capture of a trench by bombing is commenced by the rush across the open ground between the trenches by the grenadiers & bayonet men, who are paired off. This is known as the "massed grenadiers attack". The relative positions of of bomber and bayonet men depends upon the type of bomb used.

If the Hale stick percussion grenade is used there should be an interval between the men to prevent the bomber from accidentally striking the bayonet man and so putting both out of action.

In a time fuse bomb attack the bayonet men are about 50yds in the rear of the bombers so that the bomb has had time to explode when the bayonet men arrive at the trench (6 sec fuse to bomb).

Upon a section of trench being captured the bombing parties work outwards in the following formations.
1st Party. 2 Bayonet men, 1 bomb thrower, 1 bomb carrier. Interval. Reserve bomb thrower, reserve bomb carrier.
2nd Party same as first, each man carrying two empty sandbags each.
3rd Party same as first two. Officer in charge goes with the third party. Sandbag men to construct barricades.

Each party should have an interval between and the men in the parties should not crowd together.

On arriving at a communication trench the first party should work down it and barricade and hold it about 50yds from the fire trench. The second party should then work along the fire trench followed by the third party.

Leading bayonet men explores side openings. Only leading bombers hurl bombs. Both attackers and defenders are liable to bunch in rear therefore a few long bombs should be thrown. In short throws the bomb should be 'putt' as in 'putting the weight'. Economise in bombs and therefore get the best results from every bomb.

Bayonet men owing to the length an clumsiness of rifle and fixed bayonet in a confined trench might be armed with a 'trench dagger' (short bayonet is as good) and automatic pistol.

Men selected for grenadiers should be cool and steady.

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© A.D. Hesketh. Copyright notes. The original notebook has been donated to the museum of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, The Castle, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 2AY. Before this was done the notebook was loaned to me, and I am grateful to Catherine Crossley, a relative of 2nd Lt. Roberts for permission to copy it.. Consequently the material and images in this section should not be reproduced without the written consent of myself or the RWF museum.


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Officer's Training Manual *Trench Warfare* Lieut. Harding Newman Part IV NOTES FROM FRONT The capture of a trench by bombing is commenced by the rush across the open ground between the trenches by the grenadiers & bayonet men, who are paired off. This is known as the "massed grenadiers attack". The relative positions of of bomber and bayonet men depends upon the type of bomb used. If the Hale stick percussion grenade is used there should be an interval between the men to prevent the bomber from accidentally striking the bayonet man and so putting both out of action. In a time fuse bomb attack the bayonet men are about 50yds in the rear of the bombers so that the bomb has had time to explode when the bayonet men arrive at the trench (6 sec fuse to bomb). Upon a section of trench being captured the bombing parties work outwards in the following formations. 1st Party. 2 Bayonet men, 1 bomb thrower, 1 bomb carrier. Interval. Reserve bomb thrower, reserve bomb carrier. 2nd Party same as first, each man carrying two empty sandbags each. 3rd Party same as first two. Officer in charge goes with the third party. Sandbag men to construct barricades. Each party should have an interval between and the men in the parties should not crowd together. On arriving at a communication trench the first party should work down it and barricade and hold it about 50yds from the fire trench. The second party should then work along the fire trench followed by the third party. Leading bayonet men explores side openings. Only leading bombers hurl bombs. Both attackers and defenders are liable to bunch in rear therefore a few long bombs should be thrown. In short throws the bomb should be 'putt' as in 'putting the weight'. Economise in bombs and therefore get the best results from every bomb. Bayonet men owing to the length an clumsiness of rifle and fixed bayonet in a confined trench might be armed with a 'trench dagger' (short bayonet is as good) and automatic pistol. Men selected for grenadiers should be cool and steady. Return to Manual © A.D. Hesketh. Copyright notes. The original notebook has been donated to the museum of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, The Castle, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 2AY. Before this was done the notebook was loaned to me, and I am grateful to Catherine Crossley, a relative of 2nd Lt. Roberts for permission to copy it.. Consequently the material and images in this section should not be reproduced without the written consent of myself or the RWF museum.