COMBINED ARMS IN THE GREAT WAR
During WW I, the major combatants put everything they had into the war effort, with the possible exception of tactical ability. The war ground to a halt and degenerated into trench warfare, with both sides at stalemate. The abilities of the high command on both sides appeared to be non existent, as they threw troops into mass attacks against entrenched machine gun positions. When each attack failed, the brass maintained the belief that 'just one more attack' would break the enemy. There was not enough originality of thinking to overcome the inertia of the stultified minds at the top.
One problem was the lack of reliable machinery. The new tanks were not reliable when they first went into action. They also stuck in the mud and shell holes very easily. Aircraft in the first part of the war were frail things, barely suited for their scouting role. They didn't improve to the point of being formed into useful fighter squadrons until early 1916. True combined arms operations require robust and reliable equipment that will at least approach the kind of performance that your operation needs. This type of equipment was not available early in the war.
Strictly speaking, combined arms operations have been going on for centuries, with mixes of infantry, cavalry, archers, artillery, etc. The modern age brought in the new machinery of war, with its tanks, airplanes, accurate indirect artillery fire, improved rail transport, and chemical and fire operations. The expanded ability to deliver fires, both direct and indirect; and the expansion of support services, required improved planning to address the complexities of modern war. This planning was somewhat lacking early in WWI, as staffs were usually mired in outmoded thinking that favored frontal assaults into machine gun fire. Combined arms just wasn't happenin'.
General John Monash believed in planning. "A perfected modern battle plan is like a score for an orchestral composition, where the various arms and units are the instruments, and the tasks they perform are their respective musical phrases. Every individual unit must make its entry precisely at the proper moment, and play its phrase in the general harmony. The whole program is controlled by an exact timetable, to which every infantryman, every heavy or light gun, every tank and aeroplane must respond with punctuality; otherwise there will be discords which will impair the success of the operation and increase the cost of it." http://www.adfa.edu.au/~rmallett/Thesis/...
General Monash was not a 'professional' soldier. Educated at Scotch College and the University of Melbourne, he earned degrees in engineering, law and the arts. He qualified as a municipal surveyor, a water-supply engineer and a patent attorney. He eventually became known as one of Australia's foremost experts in large construction projects. During his college years, in 1887, he joined Melbourne University's Metropolitan Brigade of the Garrison Artillery, which was a reserve unit. He remained in the reserves, working his way up through the normal variety of command and staff positions, until the war broke out in 1914, at which time he was a Colonel. Placed on active service and sent to Egypt, he had the opportunity to see the effects of really poor planning and execution in the Middle East campaigns. He held command of the AIF's 4th Brigade during the Gallipolli campaign.
In 1916, he was transferred to the Western Front, where he was promoted Major General and took command of the Third Australian Division. When Great Britain finally agreed to create an Australian Corps, using the five Australian divisions, (something they had resisted since the war began), General Monash was named as the Corps Commander.
General Monash abhorred war, but believed in duty to country. He was committed to winning his fights with as little injury to his own men as possible.
"The true role of infantry was not to expand itself upon heroic physical effort, not to wither away under merciless machine-gun fire, not to impale itself on hostile bayonets, but on the contrary, to advance under the maximum possible protection of the maximum possible array of mechanical resources, in the form of guns, machine-guns, tanks, mortars and aeroplanes; to advance with as little impediment as possible; to be relieved as far as possible of the obligation to fight their way forward." Lieutenant General Sir John Monash
Monash's organizational abilities and attention to detail were highlighted during the battle of Hamel. On 4 July 1918, elements of four Australian Brigades, with a leavening of four companies of American infantry, were ordered to reduce a bulge in the lines.
Detailed planning and practice paid off. The 'attack' actually began several days prior to the time the infantry went 'over the top'. Allied artillery bombarded German lines with gas and smoke shells together for several days prior to the attack. This caused the Germans to associate the gas with the smoke. Gas was not used on the day of the actual attack, but the Germans put their gas masks on automatically, thinking that gas was still included. The masks reduced visibility severely and also interfered with communication, while the attackers had the important edge of visual and communications freedom.
"It is the primary duty of the tanks to save casualties to the Australian infantry." Improvement in tanks allowed them to advance in close support of the infantry. They moved immediately behind the artillery barrage and destroyed strong points as they went. General Monash ordered the tanks to operate under the control of the infantry commanders. Training allowed very close teamwork, and the infantry and tankers came to trust one another, and were able to work effectively together.
Tanks were also used in another critical role that had not been previously considered; resupply. Four tanks, with a total of twenty extra men to unload them, had been designated to carry ammunition, water and fortification supplies. They did the work of 1200 men, had the resupply been conducted 'normally'. Fighting tanks also carried extra ammo and water for the troops.
Aircraft took on new roles also. Early on the morning following the assault, the troops lit flares, so that aircraft flying over could mark the new front line on maps. These maps were then dropped back at the Division headquarters. The aircraft also dropped supplies to the troops, at marked locations. They delivered nearly 120,000 rounds of rifle and machine gun ammo by parachute, from boxes mounted under their wings.
The attack was successfully concluded only 93 minutes after it began; three minutes longer than the planned time. For a complete write up, see: 'Digger's Fourth of July' by Peter Nunan, Military History Magazine, August 2000.
After the war, John Monash returned to civilian life, and was successful in a variety of endeavors. He was head of the Victorian State Electricity Commission, and was involved in the Boy Scouts, among other organizations. Monash University was named after him "not because of his fame, but because of the important ways in which he gave to the community." http://www.monash-hospital.com.au/Sir%20...
John Monash is remembered as one of the greatest figures in Australian history. He should also be remembered as one of the original thinkers and strong leaders who achieved victory in WWI.
"Adopt as your fundamental creed that you will equip yourself for life, not solely for your own benefit but for the benefit of the whole community" Lieutenant General Sir John Monash.
OTHER LINKS http://www.iol.net.au/~conway/ww1/army.h...
http://www.awm.gov.au/1918/people/genmon...
http://www.adfa.edu.au/~rmallett/Thesis/
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