BATTLE FIELD TIME.

Taihape Daily Times, 13 December 1917, Page 3

BATTLE FIELD TIME.

HOW AIT ATTACK IS ARKANGED, One of the chief reasons for the success of our Army since the beginning of the Somme offensive in 1916, is the remarkable efficiency it has acquired in "timekeeping," Everything nowadays is worked to a timetable, from a bombing "stunt" to a big offensive.

In the early days of the war we lost a great number of men through insufficient co-operation between the infantry and the artillery. Our infantry, in their eagerness to push forward, frequently rushed into our own artillery fire.

Since the opening of the now memorable Somme offensive, however, particular attention has been paid to "time-keeping" Before an attach 13 launched, everybody is aware Of the actual moment of starting, which is known as "zero." Punctual to the second almost, the infantry go "over the top," and at the same time the artillery lengthen their range. By this means our artillery can throw what is known as a "creeping barrage," in front of the infantry all the time they are advancing Indeed, the absolute precision with which the infantry and artillery work together in an attack borders on the "uncanny." In a recent dispatch Sir Douglas Haig paid a great tribute to the lime-keep-ing and co-operation of these two forces.

To achieve this result everybody's watch must, of course show the same time. It is the signallers, who are supplied with Government watches, who are responsible for having the correct time.

Every morning at nine o'clock, time is checked along the entire British front. A few minutes before nine the signaller on duty at battalion headquarters hears the warning "Time," "Time," come through on the "buzzer" from brigade headquarters. He acknowledges this, and gets his watch ready. On the stroke of the hour, "Nine" is "buzzed" fnrough, which he again acknowledges and alters his watch if necessary, Another signaller at battalion headquarters who is in "Touch" with the four companies, goes through the same performance simultaneously. Thus, all along the British line, with the infantry, artillery and various units, and at brigade and divisional headquarters, all officer or man wishing to have his the signallers have the same time. Any watch corrected has only to inquire at the nearest signal office. The brigade office receives the time from the divisional office, and so we trace it back to its source, General Headquarters, or to be precise, Greenwich.

Just before an attack, however, time is checked every half hour, and sometimes as frequently as every five minutes.