manual for commanders of infantry platoons. - US Army Combined ...

·34 MANUAL, FOREOOMMAINDERS OF BiNFA~NTRY PSLATOQO~IS.
NORMiAL .TYPES.
1. CO~VeERFO RIFLES/IAN LI~kNG D.O~WN.
Cover that r·iflemlen try to make ·f~d.th~nleml~gE~v whefi~t~hey
are under the necessity of covering themselves from fire.
PiIG. 34.--Cover for riflemuan lying Idown.
Riflemen, lyin~g side by sid~e, protect themselves at; the beginning
of the w\ork by their packs; they dig the soil so as to
form a bank of earth in front; of theml, workiing and firing as
b'est they can.
2. STANDING TRENCHE- FOR RIF'LEMAN.
The standncig tr'ench is the only one that, in mlodera combat,
assures the soldier azsuffricient protection and at the same time
admits of thle mnost, efficient use of his weapons.
The progfile and. di~mcnqions of the nornami trench are indicated ·
in figfure 33.
The firing crest is 4 feet 4· inches aboye the banquette;· the
latter is- 20 inches wvide.
The bottomi of the trench is 5 feet 8 inches from the natural
surface ofEthle ground, and 6 feet 8 inches fromt the top of the
p~arapet.
The width of 4 feet at the surface of the ground admits of a
batter to the xv~alls.
The width is sufficient to accommodate temporarily two lines
in thie trench.
The elbow rests are uniformly 1. foot wide.
By stopping. the exca~vation at 2 feet 4inches fr~om the surface,
there results the kcnieelinzg trench~. (i;3.