Military Instructors Manual Part 64

12 Privates, armed with rifles; 4 trained as rifle grenadiers, remainder trained as bombers.

_Equipment_: 22 rifles, 6 pistols.

2nd SECTION: Riflemen: 2 Corporals, armed with pistols and rifles, 3 Privates, first cla.s.s, armed with rifle, 7 Privates, armed with rifle, _Equipment_: 12 rifles, 2 pistols.

3rd SECTION: Riflemen: 2 Corporals, armed with pistol and rifle, 3 Privates, first cla.s.s, armed with rifle, 7 Privates, armed with rifle.

_Equipment_: 12 rifles, 2 pistols.

4th SECTION: Auto-riflemen: 1 Sergeant, armed with pistol and rifle, 1 Corporal, armed with pistol and rifle, 3 Privates, first cla.s.s; 1 armed with rifle, 2 armed with pistols; auto-rifle gunners, including 1 extra, 6 Privates, armed with rifle.

_Equipment_: 9 rifles, 4 pistols, 2 auto-rifles.

NOTE.--Sections numbered from 1 to 16 in company.

Personnel:

Commissioned:

Captain 1 First Lieutenants 3 Second Lieutenants 2 ---- Total 6 ====

Enlisted:

First Sergeant 1 Mess Sergeant 1 Supply Sergeant 1 Sergeants 12 Corporals 33 Mechanics 4 Wagoners (from Supply Company) (5) Cooks 4 Buglers 2 Privates, first cla.s.s 64 Privates 128 ----- Total 250 =====

Equipment:

Rifles 239 Pistols 69 Auto rifles 16 Trench knives 40 Bicycles 2 From Supply Company: Rolling kitchen, 4-mule 1 Combat wagon, 4-mule 1 Ration and baggage wagon, 4-mule 1 Ration cart, 2-mule 1 Water cart, 2-mule 1 Mules, draft 16 ====

Trench Standing Orders.

1. Duties.--A. One officer per company and one non-commissioned officer per platoon will always be on duty. During their tour of duty they will not be in their dugouts. They will frequently visit all trenches occupied by their units. Every listening post will be visited at least once by an officer during his tour of duty.

B. The officer and non-commissioned officer on duty will, when his tour of duty is completed, turn over to the officer or non-commissioned officer relieving him all orders, a report of the work in progress, if any, and any other information of use.

C. At night the officer and non-commissioned officer on duty will frequently patrol the trench line, to see that the sentries are alert and to receive any reports they may desire to make.

D. The-non-commissioned officer coming on duty will go round and post new sentinels with the non-commissioned officer coming off duty.

E. The length of the tour of duty will depend upon the number of officers and non-commissioned officers on duty. Normally each tour should be, by night, two hours; by day, four hours. This may be modified, however, so that all officers and non-commissioned officers will have an equal amount of this duty while in the trenches.

F. Non-commissioned officers, after posting sentinels, will report "all is well" or otherwise to the officers on duty.

G. No man will be detailed for a duty in the trench without being given suitable warning of this duty and be informed at which hour he will come on duty.

H. The Company Commander will be responsible for sending any report required by Battalion Headquarters.

2. Sentries.--A. The number of sentry posts required will depend on the a.s.sumed propinquity or distance of the enemy, strength of obstacles, ease with which sentry posts can be re-enforced and other local conditions. Normally by day this should be one sentinel for each platoon and at night three double sentinels for each platoon. There must be sentries enough to insure alarm being given promptly in case of attack and that local resistance is sufficient until help can arrive.

B. The next relief will remain within an easy distance of the sentry on post, usually in shelters provided for this purpose.

C. Every sentry is to be regularly posted by a non-commissioned officer who will explain to him his duties and ascertain that the sentry is aware of the position of the section and platoon commanders and of the sentries on either side, and whether there are any patrols or working parties out in front.

D. Every sentinel will report when an officer pa.s.ses his post, "All is well," or otherwise.

E. Every sentinel by day will be provided with a head-cover to blend with the ground (this may be improvised), and while observing the ground to the front will remain perfectly still. An empty sand bag or some other suitable material may be utilized for this purpose.

3. Patrols.--A. It is the duty of all the troops holding the front lines to establish a command of the ground in front of their parapet up to the enemy's wire. This can be done by extended and constant patrolling by night and reconnaissance by day so that the ground is thoroughly well known to as large a portion as possible of officers and men and so no enemy can move or remain in his front by night or day without detection. One of the particular duties of these patrols is to observe the condition of the wire entanglements.

B. Every patrol must have definite orders as to its mission; broadly speaking, patrols may be divided into two cla.s.ses: (1) reconnoitering patrols, (2) fighting patrols.

C. The first duty of reconnoitering patrols is to obtain the information for which they are sent out. They fight only in self-defense or if any especially favorable opportunity arises to inflict loss upon the enemy without prejudice to their mission. They usually consist of two to six men, under an officer or non-commissioned officer.

D. Fighting patrols are sent out for the express purpose of causing loss or damage to the enemies by such means as engaging the enemy's patrols or working parties, or by raiding saps, listening posts or trenches. For identification purposes they should always endeavor to secure at least one prisoner. Their strength depends upon the resistance they are likely to meet with.

E. Company commanders are responsible for the orders given to patrols, subject to any instructions which may be issued by higher authority.

They are also responsible that all troops, whom it concerns, including companies on both flanks, are warned when and where patrols will be out, length of time they will be out, and of the points to which they will return.

F. Information gained by patrols is of little value unless transmitted quickly to those whom it concerns. Patrol reports will be made out by the commander of the patrol immediately upon his return and sent at once to the company commander unless orders to the contrary have been given.

4. Stand To.--A. "Stand to" will take place one-half hour after a relief has been posted and one-half hour before being relieved. At this parade every available man will be present. Rifles, equipment, clothing, etc., will be inspected. Firing steps will be tested as soon as practicable after reliefs have been posted to see that each man can fire on the foot of the nearest part of the wire entanglement which he is required to cover by his fire. The same procedure will be gone through at the "stand to" one-half hour before being relieved. Other "stand tos" may be ordered in the discretion of the company commander.

These should be sufficiently often to insure that every man turns out promptly and knows his place in case of attack.

5. Machine Guns.--A. The concealment of machine gun emplacements is important. Consequently, it is only at night or in case of attack that machine gun crews will occupy their defense emplacements. At night guns should take up other position than their defense emplacements and fire a stated number of rounds in order to test out the guns and mislead the enemy as to their numbers and real emplacements, after which they will at once go back to their defense emplacements.

B. The guns and their crews will be tactically under the orders of the company commander in whose sector they are located, but no alteration will be made by him in their disposition or arcs of fire; he will, however, bring before the senior machine gun instructor any suggestions for improvements in machine gun dispositions for defense.

C. Two men per gun will always be on duty with the guns.

D. Range cards will be prepared and kept with each gun.

E. Officers and non-commissioned officers in charge of guns will remain in close proximity to the guns. They will frequently inspect their guns, emplacements, etc. They are responsible for cleanliness and maintenance of the emplacements.

F. Machine gun commanders are responsible for guns always being ready for action, and that emplacements are clear of all material except such as is required for the service of the guns; that embrasures or loopholes are kept clear of all obstructions which may interfere with fire or view.

6. Reliefs.--A. Reconnaisance. Prior to taking over the line of trenches the company commander, accompanied by his senior First Lieutenant and First Sergeant, will reconnoiter the trenches.

B. Points to be noted by the company commanders. The following points will be specially noted by company commanders before taking over trenches:

1. Plan of occupation (number of men holding lines to be taken over, their distribution and duties).

2. Shelter accommodations.

3. Work being done and proposed.

4. Conditions of the wire and defenses generally.

5. Information as to the enemy, his habits, snipers, and the work he is doing, etc.

6. Water supply.

7. Artillery support.

8. Communications.