s wall of smoke and dust from the
explosions, in which they are lost to the observer. Keeping units
together and protecting them is as difficult as maneuvering ships in
a fog. The delicate problem of the gunner is to protect the invader
just as far forward as possible, without putting shells into his own
men. A few from defective fuses must fall short. This is expected
and is a part of the cost of a charge; but none with correct fuses
and dependable powder should. The gunners time their part to that of
the invader, by lifting their fire from the first to the second line
trench, as their own men are entering the first.

Granted that the barbed wire is cleared and the men enter the
enemy's trench, they may find themselves struggling over heaps of
dust mixed with the rags of sandbags, splintered timbers and the
flesh and uniforms of their enemy--at first see not a single
adversary. They will be instantly due for heavy shell fire; and also
for heavy machine gun and rifle fire from the second line enemy
trench. They begin to dig at once in order to establish protection.
Out of this wreckage they have to reverse the enemy's trench, so
that it shall face toward him. This becomes a matter of desperate
effort and usually it is in the course of this that the severest
casualties are suffered. But should the artillery destruction of the
trench be imperfect, upon entering it they may still take the enemy
by surprise in his dugouts. In that case, bombs in hand, at the
doorways of these cellars they demand surrender. In case it is not
given, they throw the bombs into the dugout; for, to enter, means
that they will be shot down.

Or, upon entering the trench, they may meet the enemy's soldiers
running out of their dugouts for hand-to-hand battle. The traverses
are so narrow that the length of the rifle makes it a clumsy weapon,
and the adversaries in modern war, whose guns carry twenty miles,
engage hand to hand, using knives, bombs and even their fists. With
discarded rifles and bombs lying about a trench, it is difficult to
give quarter. For a prisoner who is down may pick up a rifle or a
bomb and turn on his captor. It is not human savagery so much as
conditions that has made the fighting so grim. Having established
themselves in a certain section or sections of the trench, naturally
the new occupants have the enemy on their right and left. That is,
on one side of one of the winding traverses will be a German, and
say on the othe