Marsh Silas II: Bloody Platoon

Chapter 3

Bloody Platoon's section of the perimeter was seated on the cliff in front of their barracks. Structured in the Cadian-pattern earthworks there were several series of zigzagging trenches. The nucleus was their infantry barracks, which had secondary firing pits, a mortar pit, and other fortifications adjacent to it. Behind it was a small support trench which housed a dugout designed to be an aid station as well as two supply rooms. These two networks were connected to one another by communication trenches, facilitating the transfer of troops from emplacement to emplacement. Another set of communication trenches from these positions and the barracks itself went to the parapet, or the 'fire trench,' as the Guardsman referred to it. This trench had a raised rear lip for protection from bombardment as well as a firing step that allowed the Guardsman to stand up and engage targets. Firing bays were also included, going about a meter out from the trench itself. Thick layers of sandbags and coils of barbed wire lined the edges of the trenches, ensuring the men had extra cover and didn't allow enemies to pass over them. Only a few wooden planks acted as bridges and these could be easily collapsed by the men inside the trenches thanks to a primitive drawbridge system devised by Sergeant Stainthrope and Arnold Yoxall.

Within the parapet and the communication trenches were different kinds of dugouts. Bloody Platoon lived mostly in their barracks, so these dugouts were more or less shelters rather than spaces to dwell in. However, they were not weak. Each one was made of reinforced rockcrete, covered with a heavy layer of earth, and then sandbags. Most had a metal stovepipe that allowed men to brew recaf and cook meals when they were on watch or during protracted sieges. Others had cuttings in the walls similar to that in the underground portion of the barracks that could facilitate a sleeping bag. Cadian doctrine dictated most of these dugouts were to be around three meters deep and six meters wide. Almost all the dugouts in the parapet were designed for combat rather than providing a means of extra cover. Many were reinforced, three by five meter rockcrete bastions and were utilized as gun positions for the Heavy Weapons Squads. Observation posts were smaller, only being around two by two meters, and relied more on sandbags for defense and camouflage netting for concealment. But a few Guardsmen could turn it into an excellent hardpoint during a battle; a reliable tactic was to have three to four troopers armed with lasguns and then a grenadier to provide heavy support.

Some parts of the parapet were also reinforced for the infantry. Instead of just providing a firing step, the left flank which overlooked the path leading down to the beach had metal loopholes and slits in the sandbag walls for men to fire out of. Both flanks ran down and merged into the parapets of other platoons' trenches. 1st and 2nd Platoons were on the left flank; they provided a link to 2nd Company's station along the beach. On the right were men from 3rd Company. In some sections, there were single-man firing pits designated for marksmen like Bullard or good shots like Cuyper and Foley. These were considered the weakest points in the line as they were extended by a meter from the main trench and could only hold one man reliably. Entanglements were erected at these positions as well as sandbags, but they were never more than a few meters away from a dugout or firing bay.

Besides sandbags and barbed wire, mesh netting covered with brown strips of felt or cloth were a common feature. These provided concealment for the troops in the trenches and were found most commonly over the forward dugouts and firing bays. In the secondary trench, the mortar pit and other firing bays had similar coverings. In some locations, the netting stretched over intersections, junctions, and entrances to the shelters. While they provided no protection from the wind, the sun could be overbearing even in winter so shifts were taken in the dugouts or under the nets to prevent snow blindness.

Cadian Shock Troops were excellent on both the offense and defense, and Bloody Platoon was no exception. Although the strongest aspect of a defense were the men in the trenches, they had taken time to finely design their section. Already, there were double layers of barbed wire coils and fencing in front of the parapet. More lined the tops of the communication trenches. Every bunker was reinforced with extra sandbags. Wooden planks were fashioned into duckboards for the trenches, keeping the men out of water when their drainage systems failed.