"In the fighting behind entrenchments the Germans endeavour to gain ground by making advances in line at dusk or just before dawn, and then digging themselves in, in the hope no doubt that they may eventually get 60 near as to be able, as at manoeuvres, to reach the hostile trenches in @ single rush. They have never succeeded in doing this against us If by creeping up in dead ground they do succeed in gaining ground by night, they are easily driven back by fire in the morning. A few of the braver men sometimes remain behind, at ranges of even 300 or 400 yards, and endeavour to inflict losses by sniping. Sharpshooters, also, are often noticed in trees or wriggling about until they get good cover. The remedy is to take the initiative and detail men to deal with the enemy's sharpshooters. few night attacks have been made against us. Before one of them party crept up close to the British line and set alight a hayrick, so that it should form a beacon on which the centre of the attacking line marched. Generally, however, in the night and early morning attacks, groups of 40 or 50 men have come on, the groups sometimes wide-
487 making every endeavour to obtain any advantage from cover. Light-balls and search-lights have on some occasions been used. Latterly the attacks have become more and more half-hearted. Against us the enemy has never closed with the bayonet. The German trenches I have seen were deep enough to shelter a man when firing standing, and ha down in rear for the supports to sit "(As regards our own men, there was at first considerable reluctance to entrench, as has always been the case at the commencement of a war.
Now, however, having bought experlence dearly, their defences are such that they can defy the German artillery fire."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.