Читать книгу Terrain Exercises - William H. Waldron - Страница 56

The Director will read the situation aloud, make such explanations as may be necessary and point out the area occupied by Company B. One or more members of the class may be called upon to state his understanding of the situation.

The Director: “Lieutenant Williams, what do you understand to be the formation of Company B at this moment?”

Lieutenant Williams: “I would say that the company would be in approach march formation. There would be two platoons, let us say the 1st and 2nd, in the assault echelon and one, the 3rd, in the support echelon. All three of the platoons would at this time be deployed in two waves, a section of three squads in each wave. I think each section would be deployed in a line of skirmishers while at a halt. The company headquarters would be here, about midway between the assault echelon and the support echelon.”

(Note.—Lieutenant Williams will point out the location of the various elements of the Company on the ground.)

The Director: “Why do you think the Company would be deployed in a line of skirmishers at this time?”

Lieutenant Williams: “When the company halts the men will want to take advantage of existing cover. If there is little cover available, as in this case, each man will dig himself in—he will dig a ‘fox hole’ big enough to give him some cover. Shell holes will be improved along their forward lips to give cover and if large ones are available as much as a half squad may occupy one of them. Another reason for the support battalion deploying into a line of skirmishers when it halts for any length is this: If the enemy should make a counter-attack and break through our assault battalion, and the companies of our support battalion are ‘dug in’ in a line of skirmishers they are in position to meet him without any change in the formation. Everything is all set and ready to receive the counter-attack.”

The Director: “I think you have sized up the formation pretty well. I think if any member of this class is ever in command of an assault company of a support battalion in action he will remember this phase of this Terrain Exercise and when he halts for any length of time he will get the company into a line of skirmishers and have them dig in. You may say ‘why dig in for such a short halt.’ I answer that you will have no trouble getting the men to dig fox holes after they have been in action a few times. They soon learn the value of them and automatically do it.”