Читать книгу Terrain Exercises - William H. Waldron - Страница 9

The Director: “Before going further into the problem it is necessary for every member of the class to have an accurate understanding of the formation in which the first battalion is advancing. It is necessary for you to visualize the situation just as it would appear if the operation were actually taking place.”

The battalion is advancing in attack formation with two companies as assault companies (Company A is on the right and Company B on the left) and one company (C) as battalion reserve. The front covered is about 750 yards. The right of Company A is at (indicate). Company C is marching about the center of the battalion sector and about 500 yards in rear of the front lines of the assault companies. The 1st battalion, being on the right of the Blue line has a combat patrol of one squad from the battalion reserve covering the right flank. This patrol is advancing about 150 yards to the right and rear of the assault echelon. A connecting group of two or three men also from the reserve company, maintains communication with the 2nd battalion on the left. As the reserve company may be called into action at any moment, these detachments are taken from the support platoon of the company, the 3rd. The battalion commander and his staff march between the assault echelon and the reserve company.

When the battalion was held up by the enemy, information of this fact was sent back to Lieutenant Colonel X by the commanders of the assault companies and it was also brought back by the battalion intelligence scouts who are with the assault companies. On receipt of the information Lieutenant Colonel X came forward to this point to ascertain the situation and by a personal reconnaissance, see it for himself. Accompanying him were his staff officers Bn-2; Bn-3, Captains C and D; and Lieutenant Z. This is the situation in which we find the battalion commander at the beginning of this Terrain Exercise. I hope every member of the class understands this formation and all the details of it. If there are any doubts about it now is the time to clear them up. If there are no questions we will proceed.