As soon as consolidation begins, wire entanglements should be constructed.  Every effort should be made to secure the objective against recapture.  Any men available should be used to continue the offensive.

All commanders down to and including company commanders must keep some portion of their command as a reserve.  The company commander needs his reserve to work around points which are holding against the leading lines, to protect his flanks in case the companies on his right and left are delayed in their advance and to exploit his success and gain ground to the front.  He must keep it well in hand behind the company.

Battalion reserves must start with the assaulting column and get across “No Man’s Land” as soon as possible; they must not get out of hand.  Such a reserve is usually checked in the vicinity of the enemy’s front line trench, where it can be thrown in to assist the advance or extend a flank as needed.

The brigade reserve is kept well in hand just clear of the friendly front line and support trenches.  Reserves of companies and battalions must start moving over the top of the ground with the rest of the assaulting troops.

Defense Of Trenches.—­The latest methods consist in constructing, supporting and strong points at the most favorable points to be held, such as villages, woods, etc.  These are separated by intervals not too great for mutual support.  They are of such resisting power that they must be taken before the attack can progress.  In the intervals between them fire and communicating trenches are constructed, but these are only held lightly.  Dummy trenches may be placed in these intervals.  Lines of the various works are so traced that they bring enfilading fire on troops attacking adjacent positions.  The lines need not be continuously occupied, but the obstacles extend in an unbroken line along the whole front.  Wire entanglements are set in front of important positions in belts 20 feet wide, in two or three rows, each 20 yards apart.

Each supporting point usually is occupied by a battalion, and consists of a series of trenches formed into strong points, each held by a garrison of one or more platoons or a company.  The supporting points are from 600 to 800 yards in depth and have a front of 600 to 1,000 yards.  The first line of strong points is occupied by one or two companies in firing and cover trenches, while the remainder of the battalion occupies the support and reserve trenches.  Bomb-proofs are built along the cover trenches and are connected with the firing trenches.  Approach trenches are protected on both flanks by wire entanglements.  Strong points in support and reserve trenches are prepared for an all-around defense and divided into two or more separate strong points by wire entanglements.