n this post I will focus on events that show that although the German army had better training and commanders, the tactics they and the French (and other armies in this period) used were similar. It must be remembered that the various nations sent observers to analyze wars as well as maneuvers in the years before the war.
For example, the fire and advance method where sections moved forward and received fire support from neighboring units.
French:
In August 1914, during the Battle of the Frontiers, the author, a French sergeant, vividly recounts his unit’s initial assault near Mangiennes.
“The company reformed, organizing themselves into platoons and marching in columns of four. With intense curiosity, I carefully observed each of my comrades. Suddenly, the sharp sound of gunfire reached our ears, causing us to come to a silent and bewildered halt. Sensing the need to take action, the captain swiftly rode along the line.
‘Spread out to fifty paces!’ he commanded. We quickly adjusted our formation, extending our ranks, although they appeared somewhat disorganized. Our designated link officer hurriedly approached us.
‘Adopt a dispersed formation!’ he shouted.
Upon receiving the order, the unit came under artillery fire and swiftly took cover. When the barrage subsided, we cautiously rose to our knees, only to find airplanes circling above us. Taubes, as expected!
The ‘Get back on your feet!’ command was given.
The neighboring section had already resumed their advance. We moved forward rapidly, and our link officer swiftly caught up with us.
‘Advance by sections!’ he reiterated.
Henriot repeated the order:
‘Dreher, Guillaumin, by sections!’
We exchanged glances, and without hesitation, I exclaimed:
‘Let’s go, the 2nd Section with me!’ Covering a significant distance, traversing two or three broad undulations, we noticed the frequency of gunfire diminishing. We continued our progress in a series of advances, covering longer distances but at a more moderate pace. At that moment, a sense of relative safety washed over us.”
And in this example recorded by German schwere reiter cavalry in August 1914, the advance of French infantry is described:
“Only a short time after we reached the new position, enemy infantry detachments began bearing down on us from the direction of Merville, moving in tactical bounds and brilliantly supported by their field artillery. Shortly afterwards, rifle and machine gun fire was opened from the northwest.”
German:
Walter Bloem in his famous novel “The advance from Mons” describes very well how the German infantry would advance against entrenched British infantry:
“As we left the buildings and were extending out again, another shower of bullets came across the meadow and rattled against the walls and all about us. More cries, more men fell. In front a farm track on a slightly raised embankment crossed our direction . Line the bank in front,’ I ordered, and in a few short rushes we were there, lying flat against the grass bank and looking cautiously over the top. Where was the enemy? I searched through my glasses. Yes, there among the buildings away at the far end of the meadow was a faint haze of smoke. Then… let us get closer…And so we went on, gradually working forwards by rushes of a hundred, later fifty and then about thirty yards towards the invisible enemy…Where was the rest of the battalion? Nothing to be seen of them. Yes, there… a hundred yards to our left a section was working forwards like us by short rushes.”
Here you can also see how both German and French officers misjudged relatively similar situations.
French:
(At Longlier, August 20 1914)
“We arrived at the edge of a potato field, which was the only available cover, and quickly threw ourselves down. Almost immediately, we came under a relentless and deadly barrage of enemy fire. Desperately, our soldiers sought refuge in the furrows, while an officer gave the order to fire at a certain range, despite lacking visibility of any targets. Our shooting was woefully ineffective, but fortunately, the German bullets sailed harmlessly above us. The enemy held a superior position, enabling them to unleash a devastating and well-protected assault from their rifle pits. We did not, however, suffer any casualties at that time.
Amidst the constant threat of death, the Major calmly paced back and forth, meticulously studying the terrain. His face exuded a defiant disdain. ‘We will wait until they exhaust their ammunition,’ he declared. ‘If we observe their fire dwindling, then we can advance.’
After a while, the firing abruptly ceased, creating a fleeting moment that seemed ripe for progress. The Major commanded us to move forward. Hastily, we charged ahead, deprived of the protective cover of the furrows. As soon as we rose to our feet, the enemy’s gunfire reignited with a vengeance. Unable to retaliate due to our entire line being engaged in the assault, our comrades fell immediately.”
German:
(Continuation of the account by Walter Bloem.)
“Looking down the line I shouted; ‘Advance by short rushes from the right!’ and the order was passed along. From now on the English fire gradually weakened, almost ceased. No hail of bullets greeted each rush forward, and we were able to get within 150 yds of the canal bank. I said to Graeser: ‘Now we’ll do one more 30-yard rush, all together, then fix bayonets and charge the houses and the canal banks.’
The enemy must have been waiting for this moment to get us all together at close range, for immediately the line rose it was as if the hounds of hell had been loosed at us, yelling, barking, hammering, as the mass of lead swept in among us.”
Photo: © Bundesarchiv, Koblenz Patrol at aisne 1914.