Military Instructors Manual Part 49

You are Sergt. Dow.

How do you place your men, and what information and instructions do you give the point before you pa.s.s the orchard east of Biglerville?

Situation 2:

You are still Sergt. Dow.

The point has reached crossroads 582. You are informed by a farmer living at crossroads 582 that about half an hour before there were some soldiers half a mile north of 582 on the road to Center Mills. He says he does not know where they went.

What do you do?

Problem II:

The advance party has arrived at crossroads 582. Information has come to Lieut. Gibbs, both from the point and from the farmer direct, that Red Soldiers have been seen on road to north leading to Center Mills.

Lieut. Gibbs on arrival at 582 sends out a squad under Sergt. Jones to patrol north on the Center Mills road half a mile, then east by farm road to corner, then by fence south of house and barn to Opossum Creek and down creek to main road again.

The advance party then proceeds about 300 yards easterly from 582, when the point signals "Enemy in small numbers in creek bottom due north."

(a) What does Lieut. Gibbs and the advance party do?

(b) What does he tell the point to do?

(c) What does the flank patrol under Sergt. Jones do?

Problem III:

Because of the action taken in Problem II the Reds have ceased to menace the left flank of the advance guard:

(a) What does the advance party and its commander do?

(b) What does he tell the point to do?

Another Situation--Problem IV:

Enemy is in the vicinity of Hunterstown. Your brigade has marched south through Guernsey to road fork 610, and has turned east, and is about to camp in gra.s.s field north of road 610-582, 1-3 of a mile west of 582. Your battalion is to form the outpost. You are its major.

Where do you post:

(a) The outpost reserve?

(b) The outpost supports?

(c) The outguards?

(NOTE: The sector up to and including the road Center Mills--554-534--Bridge S.H. is covered by another brigade to your left.)

Problem V:

On the same general scheme as in Problem IV. You are Sergt. Robinson of Support No. 1. You are ordered by its commander to move out with 3 squads to form a picket, outguard No. 1, putting out observation posts on the road about half a mile south of the support.

(a) State what directions you give to your picket and how you move to your position.

(b) Where do you post the picket and its observation posts?

(c) What orders and instructions do you give on arrival at the place selected?

CHAPTER 15.

Trench Warfare.

General Principles.

1. Defense may be made in depth by all organizations, down to and including the platoon, or it may be made laterally.

2. The smallest active segment, be it only three men, must have a chief and a second in command, who is responsible for the proper upkeep and defense of the segment. All occupants of active segments must know all instructions which should be simple.

3. Any troops in charge of a portion of trench must never abandon it, no matter what happens, even if surrounded.

4. All ground lost must be retaken at once by immediate counter attack launched by the unit which lost the ground. As a matter of fact a counter attack is difficult for a platoon or company; it is really necessary for it to be made by a battalion.

5. Each company must provide for emplacements for mine throwers to be served by the artillery and for pneumatic guns to be served by their own men.

Instructions to be Issued by Battalion Commander.

1. Disposition of companies in sector a.s.signed (best done by sketch showing sectors a.s.signed to companies).

2. Special orders to companies (concerns field of fire to be obtained not only in own sector, but also in those adjoining it).

3. Improvement of defense. (Brief reports from company commanders to be followed by work being done on order of battalion commander after inspection.)

4. Organization of watching (not sentry duty) (by company commander under supervision of battalion commander).

5. Organization of observation (not sentry duty) (by company commander under supervision of battalion commander).

6. Organization of supply (procuring, routing, etc., of tools, ammunition, food, water, etc.), (by company commander under supervision of battalion commander).

7. Organization of liaison (communication) (runners, telephone, telegraph visual signaling, pigeons, etc., by company commander under the supervision of battalion commander). _All telephonic communication must be in code_.

8. Organization of supplies to include amounts to be expected daily from the rear.

9. Knowledge of enemy must be imparted to company commanders in order to a.s.sist them in making their dispositions.

10. Frequent reports to be made of existing conditions at the front for information of higher commanders.

11. Lateral defense of boyaux must not be overlooked.

12. Wide turning movements are not possible. Enveloping movements are possible only on local attacks against small portions of the hostile line after it has been pierced. All main attacks are confined to purely frontal attacks.

13. The most important obstacle is barbed wire entanglements.

14. Communication (liaison) between and co-ordination and co-operation of, the different elements of a command is of the utmost importance.