MANUAL FOR NONCOMMISSIONED OEFICERS. 221 



supports can rest undisturbed by the hostile fire until they 

 are needed in the firing trench to repel a serious assault or 

 to tal^e part in a counter attack. Passages consisting of deep 

 communicating trenches facilitate passage from the cover 

 trenches to the firing trenches when under fire. These com- 

 municating trenches are usually zigzag or traversed to prevent 

 their being swept by hostile fire. 



When troops are likely to remain in trenches for a consid- 

 erable time drainage should be arranged for, and latrines and 

 dressing stations should be constructed in trenches. Water 

 should be brought into the trenches and holes excavated in the 

 front wall of the trench for extra ammunition. 



In digging trenches men usually work in reliefs, one relief 

 digging while the others rest, the proportion of shovelers to 

 pickmen being about 3 to 1. If a plow can be obtained to 

 turn the sod, it will greatly facilitate the initial work of digging: 



