Figure 7-5.--One-man fighting hole.
Figure 7-6.--Two-man fighting hole.
should be oriented with respect to the line of fire of the
enemy so it is least vulnerable to enfilade fire (fire from
The internal construction of a ONE-MAN
the flanking or side position). In a skirmisher's trench,
FIGHTING HOLE is shown in figure 7-5. It is made as
a man presents a low silhouette to the enemy and is
small as possible to present the smallest target to the
afforded some protection from small-arms fire.
enemy, but wide enough to accommodate a man's
Figure 7-2 shows CAMOUFLAGED FIGHTING
shoulders, and deep enough to use entrenching tools at
HOLES that may be built either while in contact with
the bottom. A sump should be built below the firing step,
the enemy or before contact with the enemy is made.
atone end, to catch rainwater. The firing step should be
They are a more permanent type of construction than
deep enough to protect most of a man's body while
the skirmisher's trench. They may or may not be
firing. A circular grenade sump, large enough to accept
covered. The two shown are covered, which helps
the largest known enemy grenade, is sloped downward
prevent detection, but they are not provided much
at an angle of 30 degrees and is excavated under the fire
protection from enemy fire. They are constructed to
enable a man to fire from a standing position with
exploded in this sump, and their fragmentation is
most of his body protected from enemy fire. These
restricted to the unoccupied end of the fighting hole. The
emplacements help provide protection from
soil from the hole is used to build a parapet. The edge
small-arms fire, shell fragments, bombings, and the
of the hole is used for an elbow rest while firing. Be sure
crushing action of tanks.
to camouflage the soil used for your parapet to help
avoid detection.
Figure 7-3 shows a CUT-TIMBER REVETMENT,
constructed when the soil is soft enough to require the
Figure 7-6 shows a TWO-MAN FIGHTING HOLE
timber support shown. Again, this is a more
that is essentially two one-man holes. The two-man
permanent type of emplacement and is normally built
fighting hole provides some advantages over the
only when a unit expects to stay in an area for quite
one-man fighting hole. By being in such close
proximity, each man gains a feeling of more security,
some time. You would fire from a standing position
with most of your body protected from enemy fire.
and it allows one man to rest while the other man is
Figure 7-4 shows a fighting hole with an overhead
observing the area. One disadvantage is since it is longer
than a one-man hole, it provides less protection from
cover providing cover from enemy fire as well as
tanks, bombing, strafing, and shelling.
concealment from the enemy.
7-3