Manual of Military Training Part 20

The Advance

=249. Methods of advancing.= The advance of a company into an engagement (whether for attack or defense) is conducted in close order, preferably column of squads, until the probability of encountering hostile fire makes it advisable to deploy. After deployment, and before opening fire, the advance of the company may be continued in skirmish line or other suitable formation, depending upon circ.u.mstances. The advance may often be facilitated, or better advantage taken of cover, or losses reduced by the employment of the =platoon= or =squad columns=, as laid down in pars. 250-251, or by the use of a =succession of thin lines=, as explained in par. 255. The selection of the method to be used is made by the captain or major, the choice depending upon conditions arising during the progress of the advance. If the deployment is found to be premature, it will generally be best to a.s.semble the company and proceed in close order.

Patrols are used to provide the necessary security against surprise.

(212)

=250.= Being in skirmish line: =1. Platoon columns, 2 MARCH.=

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The platoon leaders move forward through the center of their respective platoons; men to the right of the platoon leader march to the left and follow him in file; those to the left march in like manner to the right; each platoon leader thus conducts the march of his platoon in double column of files; platoon guides follow in rear of their respective platoons to insure prompt and orderly execution of the advance. (213)

=251.= Being in skirmish line: =1. Squad columns, 2. MARCH.=

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Each squad leader moves to the front; the members of each squad oblique toward and follow their squad leader in single file at easy marching distances. (214)

=252.= Platoon columns are profitably used where the ground is so difficult or cover so limited as to make it desirable to take advantage of the few favorable routes; no two platoons should march within the area of burst of a single shrapnel[2]. =Squad columns= are of value princ.i.p.ally in facilitating the advance over rough or brush-grown ground; they afford no material advantage in securing cover. (215)

=253.= To deploy platoon or squad columns: =1. As skirmishers, 2.

MARCH.=

Skirmishers move to the right or left front and successively place themselves in their original positions on the line. (216)

[Ill.u.s.tration]

=254.= Being in platoon or squad columns: =1. a.s.semble, 2. MARCH.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: a.s.sEMBLY MADE ON RIGHT PLATOON.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: a.s.sEMBLY MADE ON RIGHT SQUAD.]

The platoon or squad leaders signal =a.s.semble=. The men of each platoon or squad, as the case may be, advance and, moving to the right and left, take their proper places in line, each unit a.s.sembling on the leading element of the column and re-forming in line. The platoon or squad leaders conduct their units toward the element or point indicated by the captain, and to their places in line; the company is reformed in line. (217)

=255.= Being in skirmish line, to advance by a succession of =thin lines=: =1. (Such numbers), forward, 2. MARCH.=

The captain points out in advance the selected position in front of the line occupied. The designated number of each squad moves to the front; the line thus formed preserves the original intervals as nearly as practicable; when this line has advanced a suitable distance (generally from 100 to 250 yards, depending upon the terrain and the character of the hostile fire), a second is sent forward by similar commands, and so on at irregular distances until the whole line has advanced. Upon arriving at the indicated position, the first line is halted. Successive lines, upon arriving, halt on line with the first and the men take their proper places in the skirmish line.

Ordinarily each line is made up of one man per squad and the men of a squad are sent forward in order from right to left as deployed. The first line is led by the platoon leader of the right platoon, the second by the guide of the right platoon, and so on in order from right to left.

The advance is conducted in quick time unless conditions demand a faster gait.

The company having arrived at the indicated position, a further advance by the same means may be advisable. (218)

=256. Use and purpose of advance in succession of thin lines.= The advance in a succession of thin lines is used to cross a wide stretch swept, or likely to be swept, by artillery fire or heavy, long-range rifle fire which cannot profitably be returned. Its purpose is the building up of a strong skirmish line preparatory to engaging in a fire fight. This method of advancing results in serious (though temporary) loss of control over the company. Its advantage lies in the fact that it offers a less definite target, hence is less likely to draw fire. (219)

=257. Improvised formations.= The above are suggestions. Other and better formations may be devised to fit particular cases. The best formation is the one which advances the line farthest with the least loss of men, time, and control. (220)

The Fire Attack

=258. Advance of firing line; advance by rushes.= The principles governing the advance of the firing line in attack are considered in the School of the Battalion. (See par. 342-356.)

When it becomes impracticable for the company to advance as whole by ordinary means, it advances by rushes. (221)

=259. Advancing by rushes.= Being in skirmish line: =1. By platoon (two platoons, squad, four men, etc.), from the right (left), 2.

RUSH.=

The platoon leader on the indicated flank carefully arranges the details for a prompt and vigorous execution of the rush and puts it into effect as soon as practicable. If necessary, he designates the leader for the indicated fraction. When about to rush, he causes the men of the fraction to cease firing and to hold themselves flat, but in readiness to spring forward instantly. The leader of the rush (at the signal of the platoon leader, if the latter be not the leader of the rush) commands: Follow me, and running at top speed, leads the fraction to the new line, where he halts it and causes it to open fire. The leader of the rush selects the new line if it has not been previously designated.

The first fraction having established itself on the new line, the next like fraction is sent forward by its platoon leader, without further command of the captain, and so on successively, until the entire company is on the line established by the first rush.

If more than one platoon is to join in one rush, the junior platoon leader conforms to the action of the senior.

A part of the line having advanced, the captain may increase or decrease the size of the fractions to complete the movement. (222)

=260. Rush of company as whole led by captain.= When the company forms a part of the firing line, the rush of the company as a whole is conducted by the captain, as described for a platoon in the preceding paragraph. The captain leads the rush; platoon leaders lead their respective platoons; platoon guides follow the line to insure prompt and orderly execution of the advance. (223)

=261. Advance by crawling or otherwise.= When the foregoing method of rushing, by running, becomes impracticable, any method of advance that =brings the attack closer to the enemy=, such as crawling, should be employed.

For regulations governing the charge, see paragraphs 355 and 356.

(224)

(All rushes should be made with life and ginger, and all the men should start together. All rushes should be made under covering fire, and when a unit rushes forward the adjoining unit or units make up for the loss of fire thus caused by increasing the rate of their fire.

A unit commander about to rush forward, will not do so until he sees that the adjoining unit or units have started to give him the protection of their covering fire and, if necessary, he will call to them to do so. Each unit must be careful not to advance until the last unit that rushed forward has had time to take up an effective fire. When sights have to be adjusted at the conclusion of a rush, the men should do so in the p.r.o.ne position even though it be necessary for the men to kneel for firing. The same as the men who rush should start simultaneously from the p.r.o.ne position, so should they stop simultaneously, all men dropping down to the ground together, wherever they may be, at the command "Down,"

given by the unit commander when the leading men have reached the new position. The slower members who drop down in rear will crawl up to the line after the halt. So that the slower members may not be crowded out of the line, and also to prevent bunching, the faster men should leave room for them on the line.--Author.)

The Company in Support

(Being part of a battalion)

=262. Formations adopted by support.= To enable it to follow or reach the firing line, the support adopts suitable formations, following the principles explained in paragraphs 249-255.

The support should be kept a.s.sembled as long as practicable. If after deploying a favorable opportunity arises to hold it for some time in close formation, it should be rea.s.sembled. It is redeployed when necessary. (225)

=263. Support controlled by major: size of reenforcement; captain on look out for major's signals.= The movements of the support as a whole and the dispatch of reenforcements from it to the firing line are controlled by the major.

A reenforcement of less than one platoon has little influence and will be avoided whenever practicable. (See par. 353.)

The captain of a company in support is constantly on the alert for the major's signals or commands. (226)

=264. Reenforcement to join firing line deployed as skirmishers and occupy existing intervals.= A reenforcement sent to the firing line joins it deployed as skirmishers. The leader of the reenforcement places it in an interval in the line, if one exists, and commands it thereafter as a unit. If no such suitable interval exists, the reenforcement is advanced with increased intervals between skirmishers; each man occupies the nearest interval in the firing line, and each then obeys the orders of the nearest squad leader and platoon leader. (227)

=265. Promptness in reenforcing firing line.= A reenforcement joins the firing line as quickly as possible without exhausting the men.