Halen 8 Duffer’s Drift
The Belgians had set the defense. Tactically, how close are they to established norms if there were established norms. One of the simple lessons taught in many professional military education courses are the dreams of Lieutenant Backsight Forethought in the famous fictional book written in 1904 called “The defense of Duffers Drift.” In the very short book/pamphlet our hero Lieutenant Backsight Forethought is assigned a mission to take his 50 man platoon and defend a drift or it Ford across a river. While pondering this onerous responsibility, the lieutenant falls asleep and has a dream concerning how he has chosen to defend the drift. In the first dream he fails miserably but by the ninth dream he has developed a credible defense by applying lessons learned in the previous dreams. This book was written was the Boer war in mind. Also with that technology. However the lessons that were learned are pretty applicable to all small unit tactical plans.
As we have taken the battle of Halen to the point where the Belgians have set the defense and the Germans are about to attack. Did the Belgians apply any of these lessons? Are they applicable to a division defense? The updated version of this book for World War I was written in 1923 with the inclusion of tanks.
Here is a list of lessons that sort of summarize what Lieutenant Backsight Forethought learned in his dreams. Of course there are other defenses “lessons” especially as the battlefield is made more complex by the number of units and technology. So I expect most people will think about their own group of lessons.
- Do not put off actually preparing for the defense until tomorrow. Preparing for defense is more important than the comfort of your men.
- Be aware of people trying to get information from you about your positions.
- Do not let your sentries advertise their position to anyone. No smoking or fires.
- Dig dig dig. A hole in the ground is your best refuge. People who have not been shot at are always reluctant as it is too hard, too cold, too difficult, and too slow.
- Becaus of the range and accuracy of rifles, uarding a drift does not necessitate sitting on top of. No one is going to carry the terrain away. Use the range of the weapons and make sure to take up your defensive position some way from the spot, away from concealed ground, which could enable the enemy to crawl up on you. Keep the enemy in the, open, have what is called a clear “field of fire.”
- Keep strange men/women that are not of your force away from your actual defenses, letting them go free to warn their friends of your existence and whereabouts.
- Press indigenous labor, under guard, to do some of your labor-intensive tasks. Do not allow them to leave and tell others anything.
- If you decide that you must round up civilians in order to prevent their taking information to the enemy, then you have to take all them. This could be a very large number. If they are very numerous or very far away this might be impossible; then do not hope to surprise the enemy.
- Do not forget that if artillery is going to be used against you, do not put all of your defenders in one place. Scatter them about.
- if artillery is going to be used against you do not forget that whatever holes you have dug also need a roof.
- For an isolated position there are no flanks, no rear, it is front all round.
- Beware of being taken in reverse once engaged. If you become engaged in shooting the enemy to the front ensure that his pal cannot sneak up and shoot you in the back.
- Beware of being enfiladed. Horrible from one flank—far worse from both flanks.
- Do not place your position near rising ground over which you cannot see.
- Cover from sight is of often worth more than cover from bullets.
- To surprise the enemy is a great advantage.
- If you wish to obtain this advantage, conceal your position.
- To test the concealment of your position, look at it from the enemy’s point of view.
- Beware of convex hills and dead ground. Especially take care to have some place where the enemy must come under your fire.
- Choose the exact position of your firing positions, with your eye at the level of the men who will eventually use them.
- A hill with a commanding position may not necessarily be the best place to hold.
- A conspicuous decoy position may cause the enemy to waste much ammunition or draw fire away from the actual defenses.
The real question is how did the Belgians do? Do you agree with their defensive set up? What would you have done differently? There are always many examples of attacks and defenses but here you have an opportunity to look at both and think of what you – you personally would do in the same situation. You cannot change force structure just the location of the units and their plans. So what would you do?