Military Instructors ManualCole, J. P. (James Perry)
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Military Instructors Manual
Cole, J. P. (James Perry)
Military art and science; United States. Army -- Military life; United States. Army -- Officers' handbooks
Repairs or alterations of the parapet should be reported at once by
the section commander to the platoon commander, who will report it to
superior authority. Repairing of trenches, fatigue, etc., will be
carried on either by day or night according to company arrangement.
Certain hours will be allotted for these tasks and no man is to be
employed upon any kind of work out of these hours. No man should leave
his post in the trenches at any time without the permission of the
non-commissioned officer in charge of that post. At night there should
be at least one sentry post to each ten yards of parapet. At night,
double sentries should be posted if possible, and no sentry should be
kept on duty for longer than an hour at a time. The arrangement should
be such that when one sentry is doing his last half hour, his comrade
will be doing his first half hour.
Sentries at night should always have their rifles resting on the
parapet, ready to fire at a moment's notice. As few sentries as
possible should be posted by day, so as to give as much rest as
possible to the remainder of the men.
By day any existing loop-holes may be used by a sentry for observation
purposes, but this must be strictly prohibited at night, when the
sentry must look over the parapet. If a sentry is continually fired
at, the section commander will post him in another position, but not
too far from his original position. There is no excuse for a man going
to sleep on sentry duty; if he is sick he should report the fact to
the non-commissioned officer, who will report to superior authority.
An armed party of the enemy approaching the trench under a flag of
truce should be halted at a distance, ordered to lay down their arms,
and the matter at once reported to the company commander. If the party
fails to halt when ordered to do so, or does not convey a flag of
truce, they should be fired upon. An unarmed party should be halted in
the same way. It is not necessary to challenge at night; open fire at
once. This is modified only by special instructions.
Men especially picked for listening patrols and sharp-shooters will be
given special privileges. All loud talking must be checked at night by
officers and non-commissioned officers. All working parties must wear
their equipment and carry their rifles. All picks and shovels will be
returned after use to the company store room. Ration parties and
parties carrying materials for repairs, etc., need not wear their
equipment or carry rifles; they should be accompanied by a fully armed
non-commissioned officer as an escort. Not more than 20 men are to be
away from the company at one time; one non-commissioned officer and
four men per platoon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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