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move to a favourable position to pursue the enemy with their fire and to make their infantry powerless to attempt a counter-attack. The energetic action of the machine guns after the position has been carried will force the enemy to scatter.

Art. 70.—In the offensive in case of failures: The machine guns will sacrifice themselves, if necessary, to cover their infantry. They will break down the morale of hostile troops by riddling them with fire without care for their own losses, and will thus facilitate the retreat of their own infantry.[1]Machine Guns in the late War

All officers are enthusiastic about machine guns. All agree that their chief rôle is defence, even at night, and they are extremely useful in attack. During the battle of Mukden machine guns were used very much in the attack by the Japanese, but it seems that the casualties of the machine-gun detachments were very heavy indeed; one commander thought them especially useful in pursuit.[B]


Remarks by Lt.-Gen. Sir C. J. Burnett, K.C.B.

The value of machine guns is fully recognised. I had a long conversation with the brigade machine-gun officer. He has six machine guns formed as a separate detachment, extra-regi-*

  1. Revue d'Infanterie, March, 1908.