Bombers' Training, and Application of Same in Trench Warfare

In Short

This technical manual serves as a comprehensive instructional guide for officers and non-commissioned officers tasked with training infantrymen in the use of bombs and grenades. Written in 1916, it bridges the gap between traditional infantry tactics and the specialized demands of trench warfare, where explosives became the primary tool for clearing enemy positions. It provides a detailed look at the explosive compounds, the mechanical operation of various grenades, and the tactical movements required to survive and advance in the labyrinthine, static violence of the trenches.

The Story

The narrative of this work is one of systematic preparation for the chaos of the front line. It begins by establishing the necessity of the bomber as a specialized infantry role. Before the Great War, the rank and file rarely needed to understand the mechanics of explosives, leaving such tasks to engineers. However, the nature of the Western Front forced this knowledge onto the common soldier. The book moves from the abstract chemistry of explosives—covering everything from the stability of T.N.T. to the dangerous sensitivity of dynamite—into the specific mechanics of the era's grenades, such as the Hales rifle grenade and the Mills bomb.

Once the reader understands the devices, the book shifts toward the grueling reality of training. It outlines a strict six-day syllabus designed to turn raw recruits into disciplined combatants. The training is repetitive and rigorous; it emphasizes the creation of "dummy bombs" from jam tins and scrap wood so that soldiers can practice accuracy and range without risking premature detonation. It demands a high degree of individual initiative, as the book posits that a soldier must be capable of acting as an independent unit if severed from his command.

The final arc of the manual details the application of these skills in actual combat. It describes the tactical choreography of a frontal assault, moving from the initial artillery bombardment to the dangerous work of "consolidating ground gained." This is the most perilous phase, where the soldier must reverse the captured trench, build blockades, and withstand the inevitable counter-attack. The work concludes with the tactical refinement of the enfilade attack, where small, highly coordinated teams of scouts, throwers, and carriers work in concert to systematically clear trenches from the flank, minimizing exposure to enemy fire. By the end, the reader sees the soldier not merely as a rifleman, but as a master of a specialized, localized, and highly technical form of warfare where the correct handling of a detonator is as vital as the courage to move forward.

How It Unfolds

The shift in warfare The text opens by acknowledging that modern trench conditions have rendered previous military manuals obsolete. It argues that every infantryman must now possess a working knowledge of explosive handling to survive in a landscape dominated by grenades rather than open-field maneuvers.

The science of destruction The middle chapters provide a technical breakdown of explosive compounds, including gun-cotton, nitro-glycerine, and T.N.T. It details the precise chemical properties that make these substances stable or volatile, and includes a somber list of common accidents caused by improper handling.

The mechanics of the grenade Detailed descriptions of specific grenade models follow, explaining the difference between percussion and time-fused devices. It provides step-by-step instructions for priming, arming, and throwing, with particular emphasis on the dangers of accidental firing during the preparation phase.

The regimen of the training school The manual presents a rigid six-day training syllabus that balances classroom lectures with practical drills. It details how to construct dummy bombs from household refuse to habituate soldiers to the weight and balance of live ordnance.

Tactical application in the field The concluding sections transition into the combat environment, focusing on the specific movements of a trench raid. It maps out the roles of scouts and bombing parties, providing a tactical guide for taking, holding, and reinforcing captured enemy ground.

The People

The book is populated by the archetypes of the Great War infantry: the Officer, the N.C.O., the Scout, and the Thrower. The Officer and N.C.O. are defined by their responsibility; they are the architects of the training program, tasked with ensuring that even in the absence of command, their men can function as intelligent, autonomous units. They are driven by the need for discipline, viewing the chaotic environment of the trench as a place that demands a higher standard of order than the parade ground.

The Scout is the eyes of the unit, characterized by resourcefulness and an alert mind. He is the one who must judge the terrain and signal the artillery, acting as the bridge between the planning staff and the front-line reality. The Thrower is the primary instrument of the bombing party; he is the specialist whose physical accuracy determines the success of the assault. He is supported by the Carrier, a vital but often overlooked figure whose duty is to keep the party supplied with ordnance. These men are not portrayed as heroes of romance, but as technicians of a grim craft. They are bound together by a shared vulnerability to the high explosives they handle, and they are defined by their ability to remain "wide-awake" and methodical in an environment designed to shatter the human nerves.

In Its Own Voice

"The Infantry being called upon to make use of explosives in the form of bombs and grenades, makes it necessary that they have instruction in the matter of handling, shipping and storage of them in order to avoid accidents."

This opening note establishes the central argument for the necessity of this specialized training.

"The moral effect of bomb fire is much greater than that of rifle fire."

This observation, found in the section detailing the advantages of grenade tactics, highlights the psychological shift in how trench warfare was conducted.

"It is only by training that enables him to do this in the absence of commanders that the necessary degree of efficiency can be attained."

This sentence underscores the book's emphasis on individual discipline as a survival mechanism during the isolation of trench fighting.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the industrialization and technical refinement of intimate violence. The book argues that in the stalemate of trench warfare, the soldier must be transformed from a generalist into a technician of death. It treats the trench not as a place of stagnant waiting, but as a site of constant, small-scale engineering and tactical problem-solving. Beneath the instructions for building magazines or packing grenades lies a fundamental question: how can a human being maintain order, discipline, and efficiency when the very earth is being torn apart by high explosives? The book answers that survival is found in the rigid, repetitive mastery of one's tools and a deep, intuitive understanding of the properties of the weapons at hand.

Why Read It Today

Readers with an interest in military history or the technical logistics of the Great War will find this a fascinating, if sobering, primary document. It provides a stark look at how rapidly military doctrine changed in response to the realities of the Western Front. The prose is utilitarian and dry, entirely devoid of romanticism, which makes the descriptions of "dummy bombs" made from jam tins and the warnings about detonating a cap by mistake feel chillingly real.

The book is not an easy read; it is saturated with the technical jargon of 1916, including specific references to manual pages and obsolete types of ordnance that may require the reader to consult the original illustrations to fully grasp. The period attitudes are present in the unquestioning focus on tactical efficiency and the assumption that the soldier is a replaceable component in a larger, violent machine. However, what stays with the reader is the incredible, methodical care taken to prepare men for a situation where a single mistake—a pin pulled too early, a fuse burned too short—meant immediate death. It serves as a testament to the sheer, grinding labor of soldiers who were forced to adapt to a new, terrifyingly efficient era of combat.