Cover can seldom, if ever, combine all the points enumerated here, and it will lie with the section commander to discriminate between them and decide what points he will sacrifice in favour of others more important: thus it may be necessary, where concealment is the chief object, to forgo "cover from fire" at the longer ranges in favour of a low parapet or even none at all. It is only possible to indicate in outline the principles that should be followed; practice in training and the experience thus gained alone will make the reader an expert.
Shields will be found of great value in the final stages of the battle, when machine guns are pushed up to close range to assist in the final assault. They are too heavy to carry on the guns, and should be with the ammunition in the first-line transport, where they are easily obtained if required.
COVERING FIRE
Machine guns will often be used to cover the advance of infantry from "long" to "effective" range when the artillery is still occupied in the artillery duel and the infantry first come under effective rifle fire from the enemy. The ease with which they can instantly open and cease fire, concentrate on a particular spot, or sweep a line of trenches, renders them particularly suited for this purpose, and the Japanese constantly used them to keep down the enemy's
