ATTACK OF A MODERN LAND FORTRESS. 
471 
bardment by this light armament. Undoubtedly, should the defenders’ 
works be in an unprepared state, it is quite possible such an attack 
might succeed; it would be made on all fronts of the place simul¬ 
taneously, and would, at least, render it possible for the besieging 
Infantry to occupy a position close to the works, and facilitate the 
establishment of the heavy howitzers at effective ranges, when it is 
found necessary to bring them up. 
This indicates the necessity for the Auxiliary Armament being 
numerous, and as powerful as possible consistent with mobility, and it 
must be remembered that heavy howitzers, from the nature of their 
fire, can give no further support to the final Infantry attack than by 
keeping down the fire of heavy guns which may be unmasked, and by 
a general bombardment of forts and redoubts, to prevent them being 
occupied or their ramparts manned, and that a powerful Auxiliary 
Armament will be essential at this period. 
The heavy howitzers of the attack will be used for the following 
purposes:— 
(1.) Dismounting or destroying heavy ordnance. 
(2.) Destroying casemates and bomb-proof cover. 
(3.) Destroying flank defences of ditches and obstacles. 
(4.) Breaching detached and escarp walls. 
(5.) General bombardment of works to prevent their being 
manned during the Infantry attack. 
(6.) Night firing to prevent re-arming. 
Howitzers fire common shell with large bursting charges, and if a 
high explosive be used their effect is enormously increased, a typical 
Twydal casemate having been completely breached by two rounds from 
a 6-in. B.L. howitzer. Owing to the large number of pieces into which 
a high-explosive shell breaks np it has a distinct value also as a man¬ 
killing projectile, as has been proved by recent experiment; so much 
so, in fact, that it is difficult to see how a fort or redoubt could be oc¬ 
cupied at all under a heavy bombardment with such projectiles which, 
it must be remembered, can continue (owing to the curved trajectory) 
until the attacking Infantry have arrived on the glacis of the work; 
the latter cannot be said of shrapnel fire from flat-trajectory guns, al¬ 
though, as long as it can continue, it can prevent the manning of the 
parapets. Howitzer fire should prevent the works being occupied at 
all, and the defenders will have to seek safety outside, and trust to 
manning them, if possible, at the last moment. 
This raises the question whether breaching the escarp or detached 
wall will be necessary; the Germans carry flying bridges with their 
siege equipment for crossing ditches under favourable circumstances. 
Should breaching be necessary, the projectiles will require, for a 
modern ditch, an angle of descent of 35° to 40°, to attain which 
howitzers require a range of not much less than 2500 yards, as at 
shorter ranges too small a charge would have to be employed. 
The modern howitzers can employ vertical fire at angles of elevation 
Auxiliary 
Armament. 
Uses of the 
various 
natures of 
ordnance of 
the attack. 
Heavy 
Howitzers. 
Effect of 
Howitzer 
fire. 
Bombard¬ 
ment of 
forts and 
redoubts. 
Breaching 
possibly un¬ 
necessary. 
Ranges for 
breaching 
Batteries. 
Vertical fire. 
