The Soldier at the Western Front – The Use of Automatic Weapons
Source 1: Ernst Jünger: The Storm of Steel

Ernst Jünger (1895–1998) who became a writer in his later life, volunteered 1914 and advanced by foolhardy actions to a highly decorated leader of an assault-company. In 1920 he published his first novel “The Storm of Steel - From the Diary of a German Storm-Troop Officer on the Western Front.” (Engl. 1929) based on the notes he made during the war it depicts his “stubborn” way to use automatic weaponry and the equipment of the assault troops. His oeuvre that idealized the experience of the trench warfare in a laconic style was a huge success among right wing radicals. Jünger was a national revolutionary and a determined enemy of the Weimar Republic.

“I’ve been completely geared up: In front of the chest two sand sacks with four stick grenades each, on the left with percussion fuse and on the right with retardation fuse, in the right jacket pocket a Pistol 08 and in the right trouser pocket a small Mauser pistol, in the left jacket pocket five hand grenades, in the left trouser pocket night-compass and a whistle. On the buckle a springs hook to ignite the grenades, dagger and wire cutter. In the inner breast pocket was a stuffed wallet and my home address, in the rear jacket pocket was a flat bottle filled with Cherry Brandy. We had put down the epaulettes and the Gibralter – sleeve – ribbon so that our enemy couldn’t identify our origin. As an identifying mark we carried a white ribbon an each arm.”

Several times we tried to advance further crouched deeply by creeping over the piles of dead highlanders, but each time we were pushed back by machine gun fire and rifle grenades. Every hit that I saw was deadly. So the advanced part of the trench was gradually filled with corpse, but we have been enforced from the rear continuously. Soon there stood a light or heavy machine gun behind every transverse traverse. I placed myself behind one of these bullet splitters and fired until my finger was blackened by smoke. When the cooling water was evaporated the boxes were passed around and refilled – accompanied by indecent jokes – by a very simple method.”

Ernst Jünger: Storm of Steel

Ernst Jünger: „Storm of Steel“ Projekt Gutenberg (in German)