 16 Squadron and Balloon Companies of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in the week before the battle, the counter battery artillery under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew McNaughton fired 125,900 shells, harassing an estimated 83% of the German gun positions.In February 1917, the British General Staff released a training pamphlet titled "SS 143 Instructions for the Training of Platoons for Offensive Action", espousing the return to the pre-war emphasis on fire and movement tactics and the use of the platoon as the basic tactical unit.The pamphlet noted the importance of specialist hand grenade, rifle grenade, rifle and Lewis gun sections in suppressing enemy strong points with an appropriate level of fire to permit other military units to advance.