If the assault is to succeed, it is essential however, that, while the attacker covers the last 100-150 m., the defender be compelled to keep under cover. This can only be accomplished by employing fire while in motion.
This fire is practicable because the defender, who has been overwhelmed in the fire fight, has sought shelter in his works; it is advantageous, as it is only to compel the enemy to keep under cover. It would unquestionably be a mistake, and not justifiable in any case, to employ fire while in motion, when these conditions are not fulfilled, when the enemy is not completely subdued and is perhaps waiting under cover, ready to meet the assailant's assault. Supporting the infantry assault with fire has, moreover, the additional advantage of preventing the defender from bringing up his reserves.
The following is taken from a private letter of Sir Ian Hamilton,
perhaps the foremost British infantry tactician, who had the good fortune,
at Elandslaagte and Doornkop, of leading his command close up to the
enemy: "It is my opinion that no matter what regulations are promulgated
in time of peace, the men will fire during the assault. You may
rest assured that nothing will prevent their doing this. One would do
well, therefore, to reckon with this factor from the very start. The greatest
danger is always that the men will throw themselves down instead
of continuing the advance. And, if the men have once thrown themselves
down during the assault, they will rise only for the purpose of retreating."[1]
Russia. The attacking force approaches the enemy so close (35 m.) that the troops are enabled to throw themselves upon him. The point at which the hostile position is to be penetrated is designated and the men form in rear of their platoon leader. The reserves move at a run or by
- ↑ In Ausbildung der Infanterie für den Angriff, p. 63, Colonel von der Goltz makes the following statement in regard to an experiment: "As the line gradually drew closer to the defender's position, the desire of the individual men to get into the hostile position as quickly as possible, became more and more apparent; the prone position for firing was abandoned for the kneeling position, finally for the standing position, and, quite naturally, fire while in motion resulted in the end. Fire while in motion is authorized by the regulations and is, in this case, certainly permissible. Its employment in this case may be traced to the very proper desire of not allowing the enemy, who has been held down this long, to raise himself above his parapet. This fire while in motion should not be confused with the fire while in motion formerly employed by long skirmish lines at long ranges, and condemned at that time. The latter had for its object not the keeping down of an enemy already overwhelmed, but, on the contrary, was intended to overpower an unshaken opponent."
