WW1 Western Front Tactics Prior to Commencement of Trench Warfare

[Baron von Wreckedoften]

I think Stephen has been reading too many accounts of the quality of the Australians written by Australians!

It should be remembered that over 50% of the "Diggers" who signed up at the start of WW1 were British and Irish ex-pats who had emigrated in the previous decade, and that many of these (and many "genuine" Aussies) undoubtedly had prior military experience as volunteers in the Boer War.

[huevans]

Be prepared - if you continue down this line of enquiry (which I would encourage) then you will never look on 28mm games in the same way again ;-). Based on Blöem's account for example, combined with a study of a contemporary map and the British records, neither the BEF infantry nor the East Surrey MG section would have appeared on table up to and including the point at which Blöem's unit was brought to a halt. Only the British officer patrol would have featured on table. I am not arguing against the scale, far from it. Games at this scale can be great fun but lines of men advancing across the open and evicting the enemy from cover...

Robert

I still have some of the lovely Footsore British 1914 figures sitting unpainted on a shelf. Lately I have been toying with the idea of finding / writing a set of rules about "officer's patrols" and other small unit recce or rear guard type skirmishes.

Would these be accurate and authentic for infantry in this period? Would there be much scope for this sort of thing in the training manuals of the time?

How would one find out actual historical details?

[huevans]

It should be remembered that over 50% of the "Diggers" who signed up at the start of WW1 were British and Irish ex-pats who had emigrated in the previous decade, and that many of these (and many "genuine" Aussies) undoubtedly had prior military experience as volunteers in the Boer War.

IIRC, most of the early Canadian volunteers were accepted because they had previous British Army experience. So be default, they would be British immigrants to Canada.

[grant]

monk2002uk,
Thanks, I really appreciate the first hand accounts and your perspective on this.
LB

Eejduduc euhehe sururyehe 🎧

[armchairgeneral]

Eejduduc euhehe sururyehe 🎧

?

[Driscoles]

Grant.
Please use a language we all can understand. Thank you.

[Abwehrschlacht]

Just to throw in my two penneth worth here, have a look at Spencer Jones' work on the British Army from the Boer War to the first years of the First World War, I'm sure there is plenty in there that cover tactics used.

[monk2002uk]

I still have some of the lovely Footsore British 1914 figures sitting unpainted on a shelf. Lately I have been toying with the idea of finding / writing a set of rules about "officer's patrols" and other small unit recce or rear guard type skirmishes.

Would these be accurate and authentic for infantry in this period? Would there be much scope for this sort of thing in the training manuals of the time?

How would one find out actual historical details?

When you say 'accurate and authentic', are you referring to the Footsore figures or to the idea of writing a set of rules about officer patrols? I presume the latter.

There is information in some training manuals, yes. Any historical details will have to come from the myriad of anecdotal reports written by officers. From what I have read, I doubt such patrols would make for interesting games. Rommel's book has an example of a patrol that he went on with cyclists if I recall (he definitely went on the patrol, just can't recall the other detail exactly).

Robert

[Gribb]

" The main essential to success in battle is to close with the enemy, cost what it may. A determined and steady advance lowers the fighting spirit of the enemy and lessens the accuracy of his fire. Hesitation and delay in the attack have the opposite effect. The object of the infantry in attack is therefore to get to close quarters as quickly as possibe, and the leading lines must not delay the advance by halting to fire until compelled by the enemy to do so.

The object of fire in the attack, whether of artillery, machine guns, or infantry, is to bring such a superiority of fire to bear on the enemy as to make the advance to close quarters possible.

The action of infantry in attack must therefore be considered as a constant pressing forward to close with the enemy. Owing to the effect of the enemy's fire, however, this onward movement can rarely be continuous, and when effective ranges are reached there must usually be a fire-fight, more or less prolonged according to cirumstances, in order to beat down the fire of the defenders.
During this fire-fight the leading lines will be reinforced; and as the enemy's fire is gradually subdued, further progress will be made by bounds from place to place, the movement gathering renewed force at each pause until the enemy can be assaulted with the bayonet.

The length of rushes must depend upon the ground, the enemy's fire, and the physical condition of the troops. The paramound duty of all leaders in the firing line is to get their troops foward, and if every leader is imbued with a determination to close with the enemy he will be unconsciously assisting his neighbor also, for as a rule the best method of supporting a neighbouring unit is to advance.

If the assault is succesful, and the enemy is driven from his position, immediate steps must be taken to get the attacking infantry in hand for the futher work that lies before them. The victory is yet but half won, decisive success will be achieved only by the annihilation of the enemy. A portion of the troops must at once be pushed forward to harry the retreating forces while the remainder are being re-formed, under their own officers if possible, in preperation of a relentless pursuit.

As soon as re-formed, units must be ready to carry on the pursuit by day and night without regard to their exhaustion. To sustain a relentless pursuit the outmost energies of every commander must be exerted; only indomitable will can overcome fatigue and carry the men forward. A commander must demand the impossible and not think of sparing his men. Those who fall out must be left behind and must no more stop the pursuit than casualties stopped the assault.

Infantry in pursuit should act with the greatest boldness and be prepared to accept risks. Delay for the purpose of detailed reconnaissance or for turning movement is not warranted, and the enemy must be attacked directly as he is seen."

Source: An Officer's Manual of the Western Front 1914-1918

[armchairgeneral]

from youtube: 

Please explain the relevance of this? This topic is about the mobile warfare tactics that took place for the brief period before both sides dug in for the slog of trench warfare. I fail to see the relevance of a film set in 1916 about trench warfare?

[Gribb]

And here is a German cavalry regiment's account of a French infantry attack early in the war (1914):

"Once in its new position, 4th Squadron received orders to link up with a company of Bavarian Reserve Jaeger Battalion 1 on its right and Schwere Reiter Regiment 2 on its left and to hold the new position at all costs. The enemy, however, did not allow us sufficient time to provide cover from fire for the troopers. The move was directed at about 10 am and, only a short time after we reached the new position, enemy infantry detachments began bearing down on us from the direction of Merville, moving in tactical bounds and brilliantly supported by their field artillery. Shortly afterwards, rifle and machine gun fire was opened from the northwest. This had a very damaging enfilade effect on our troopers deployed to counter the threat from Merville. Despite everything, the courageous troopers of 4th Squadron exercised excellent fire discipline and made sure that every round found a worthwhile target."

Robert

Would You mind sharing which book this account was taken from, Please?

[monk2002uk]

Would You mind sharing which book this account was taken from, Please?

I translating the content from a German cavalry regiment history. Can't remember which one - I have several upstairs.

Robert

[monk2002uk]

The Bavarian Schwere Reiter Regiment 1 (1st Heavy Cavalry Regiment).

Robert

[Gribb]

The Bavarian Schwere Reiter Regiment 1 (1st Heavy Cavalry Regiment).

Robert

Thank You.
"Die Bayerischen- Sachsischen- und Wurttembergischen Kavallerie-Regimenter 1913/14" by Hugo Schulz is all I could find. I have already several books with French accounts, but besides Walter Bloem and Ernst Junger it's a bit scarce.

[monk2002uk]

"Die Bayerischen- Sachsischen- und Wurttembergischen Kavallerie-Regimenter 1913/14" by Hugo Schulz is all I could find. I have already several books with French accounts, but besides Walter Bloem and Ernst Junger it's a bit scarce.

Gribb, are you referring to accounts that describe small unit tactics? In English or also in German?

Robert