Infantry

During the First World War the role of the infantry and the cavalry changed. The infantry was considered the largest branch of the army whose soldiers were trained to fight on foot. In battle, the infantry used rifles, machine guns, grenades and artillery. They were often weighed down with 32 kilograms of equipment. When attacking, these soldiers carried a shovel, sandbags, bombs, flares, grenades and rifles. Moving in and out of trenches was difficult with such a load.

By 1916, the Canadians adopted a new notion about gunfire; one that was frowned upon by the British and French. Canadians believed indirect gunfire would strengthen the fire of the heavy artillery. This new method made it difficult for the infantry and the cavalry to remain above the ground. Movement above ground was limited and the activities on the battlefield had changed. Eventually, the infantry and the cavalry both became very restricted because of the increased use of machine guns, gas, and artillery.

A majority of the war's activities now moved into trenches and tunnels. As a result, extensive networks of trenches and tunnels were built to protect the infantry. The infantry was reduced to fighting from fixed positions, concentrating their fire and attack on one area.

The artillery, however, was most effective during battles which involved little movement. They dominated the battlefield during static fighting since most of the fire came from the heavy guns. Regardless, the larger guns were heavy and awkward to move. Once the battle lines began to move, the heavy guns were of little value. The infantry would then move into the shelled area and finish what the artillery had started. The battle lines remained relatively fixed during the First World War.

Movement was needed to change the deadlock of trench warfare. It was the increased shelling that would change the course of the battle and weaken the trench networks. Following the intense barrage of gunfire, the infantry would quickly move in to take their enemy by storm. When the infantry went over the top, they would proceed past their barbed wire entanglements, to their front line and into No Man's Land. Leaving the protection of the trenches was dangerous, yet it was the only way to destroy the enemy position. The artillery was only capable of weakening the enemy, leaving the infantry to move in to secure an area. While advancing, the troops would throw grenades and move around the wire and artillery shell holes.

This tactic left the Canadian soldiers unprotected from German counter-attack. The Germans were given time to recover from the Canadian attack and move into a defensive position. Once the attacking troops crossed into No Man's Land, their bayonets and rifles were no match for German machine gunfire. This method of attack was ineffective and almost suicidal.

The Canadians had realized these British tactics were ineffective and badly led. With some planning and research, the Canadians knew the creeping barrage could be improved. Thorough planning and co-ordination of the artillery and infantry were key. The infantry would be informed of the plan and what was expected of them. The Canadians had perfected the creeping barrage in order to take the Germans by storm.

Honouring Canada's Fallen

The Creeping Barrage

Zero Hour was always nervously awaited. Several hours before Zero Hour, the troops moved into position. There, they sat, waiting in silence, in the drizzling rain and sleet. At dawn, the big guns opened up with a thundering crash. Dawn was often the most likely time for an attack. The sound of gunfire and mine explosions echoed loudly, shaking the earth with tremendous force. Overhead, the soldiers could hear the ringing of shrapnel and explosives. Their brilliant flashes lit up the sky. The crackling of the machine guns and rifles mixed in with the booming of the heavy artillery. Machine guns helped to strengthen the artillery fire of the creeping barrage. This magnificent roar easily drowned out any other sounds. Often, veterans recall this experience, saying that this was the loudest noise they had ever heard. Words could not describe the sound.

This is an animated GIF of the "Creeping Barrage"(12.8 K), the strategy Canadians used against the enemy. The red arrows represent the artillery, firing guns and all types of weapons used to attack the Germans during the creeping barrage. The blue arrows indicate the infantry moving slowly behind the artillery, 100 yards every three minutes.

Slowly, the creeping barrage inched forward, followed by the infantry. At this point, the assault was in full force. The creeping barrage hammered the German lines, concentrating on enemy guns and trenches. These enemy targets were determined by the information the troops gathered before the battle. Relaying this information was also very important for pinpointing the enemy targets. This made communications a necessary element in the planning. If the attack went well, the Germans would be confined to their trenches because of the heavy wall of gunfire. As a result, the Germans could not easily launch an attack against the Canadians.

Using the gathered information, the creeping barrage fired an intense wall of artillery gunfire at the German guns and position. This intense fire crushed everything in its way. To remain protected from both its own and German fire, the Canadian infantry closely followed the wall of fire. As the barrage advanced, so did the troops. With precision, they moved ahead 100 yards every three minutes. This precise timing meant life or death. Advancing too fast or too slow could result in a soldier's death. Going too fast meant death by his own artillery fire. Going too slowly left the soldiers unprotected and open to German gunfire.

The Canadians had improved the original type of barrage, making it more effective. Using scientific methods applied to firing big guns, the Canadians could more accurately hit their targets. Weather conditions and physics were taken into consideration. Wind speed, wind direction, air temperature and the condition of the gun barrel were considered when firing at a target. These factors had an effect on the accuracy of their artillery fire. Prior to this, the British and French gave no consideration to any of these factors.

Machine guns were used to supplement the heavy artillery. Indirect fire from the machine guns, over the heads of the troops, made the wall of fire more powerful. In addition, big guns firing 106 fuses were used to destroy the barbed wire entanglements or barriers. These gaps would allow the infantry to easily move across No Man's Land. The firing would continue, preventing the enemy from repairing the gaps in the wire. This technique also made it more difficult for the enemy to leave its trenches and carry out a counter-attack. Once the creeping barrage lifted, the troops were sent in with their bayonets to attack. The troops would then push through No Man's Land and try to sweep through enemy lines. Often there was close combat or hand-to-hand fighting by soldiers.

If the attack was successful, the infantry would "dig in." The Canadians would secure the captured German trenches by cleaning up any pockets of resistance left behind. Trenches would then be repaired and used for future attacks.

As the war continued, the creeping barrage replaced the old style barrage.

[VAC]	[Main]	[Back]