A force is retiring in a north-westerly direction. The River Lea shown on the map is unfordable. Two companies are acting as the point of the rearguard. Their orders are to hold the bridges at _A_ and _B_. The bridge at _B_ is to be held until 10 a.m. and the bridge at _A_ until 10.30 a.m. If they can hold out until these hours, it is estimated that it will enable the main body to get away unmolested. The trees shown on the map are mostly oak, and are on an average forty feet high. The roads marked on the map are metalled and good. The farm buildings at _D_ are strong. You are commanding B Company of your battalion, which is at _B_ bridge, and are senior to Captain A., a reliable officer, who is occupying _A_ trench just south of _A_ wood. At 9.15 a.m. two scouts mounted on motor bicycles inform you that they have patrolled to the front and that none of the enemy are within three miles of you except a few companies near _E_, who are acting as support to an attack which is being made against _A_ bridge. At 9.20 a.m. you receive the following message from Captain A., dated 9 a.m.: “Please do whatever you can to support me. I am being heavily shelled, and infantry are trying to push across _A_ bridge. I fear that there is no chance of my being able to hold out until 10.30 a.m.” What action would you take? State your reasons for the manner in which you would act and then definitely say what you intend to do. _Comments on the Situation and Action adjudged Correct._ What you should always aim at is to obey the spirit of an order rather than its letter. You know Captain A. to be a reliable officer, and he says that he fears that he cannot hold out until 10.30. If the enemy seize _A_ trench before that hour, not only will your retreat be cut off, but the object of ordering A and B Companies to hold the bridges so as to enable the main body to get a good start will be defeated. The nearest hostile infantry to you, at _E_, is some two miles off, that is to say, some forty minutes’ march. In the circumstances it is your duty to go to the assistance of A Company. The next thing is to consider how you can best help him to carry out his retirement and also how you can best prevent the enemy from following up your main body. If you were to march straight to _A_ wood, it is doubtful whether you would help him very materially. The artillery firing from the south of the river would deal with the reinforcements you brought up and placed in _A_ trench, similarly to the way it dealt with B Company. By far your better plan will be to march as quickly as possible to _D_ wood and occupy the strong buildings at _D_ farm. From the farm buildings you will be able to prevent the enemy marching along the road from _A_ to _X_, and should be able to comply with the spirit of the order, and by the delay you will thus entail on the enemy’s movements you will be able to effect the same purpose as if you had actually prevented him from crossing _A_ bridge before 10.30.