Terrain ExercisesWaldron, William H. (William Henry)
History
Terrain Exercises
Waldron, William H. (William Henry)
Tactics
“Some authorities advocate that the patrol commander march as the
advance man of the patrol. This is not believed to be good tactics. He
should be centrally located so that he will be able to control the
operations of the patrol. The patrol leader has been selected for this
particular line of work. The officer who sent him out is depending on
him to carry out the mission upon which he has been sent and to get
information back. He should not, therefore, needlessly make himself a
target for the enemy marksman who may be lying in concealment at the
turn of a road or trail. If he is the leading man he will be so busily
occupied with the task of observation, that he will have little time
available for conducting the operations of the other members of the
patrol. Furthermore, if anything happens at the front that needs his
attention, he can go there in a very short space of time.
“When a small patrol is advancing along a road which is more or less
winding and has brush and trees along the side, it is believed that the
Boni point formation will usually meet the requirements. In this
formation the leading man walks along one side of the road, close up to
the brush. The next man follows him at a distance of about 25 yards on
the opposite side of the road. The remaining men follow at varying
distances on alternate sides of the road. The rear or get-away man
should march at least 75 yards in rear of his next preceding man.
Flankers are sent out when necessary and where it is possible to do so.
“You will be surprised to see how admirably this formation will meet the
situation under the conditions stated. The next time you are out on a
winding road through the woods, step over to one side and observe to the
front. Then go to the other side and repeat the operation. You will find
that from one side your view will be very much restricted, while from
the opposite side it will be much more extended. One trial will convince
you of the suitability of this formation.”
Procedure
_The Director_: “Now, having in mind what I have just said, I want each
member of the class to determine for himself just where each member of
the patrol would be at the moment he, himself, arrived at this point.
(The Director indicates the point on the ground where the patrol leader
is.) Make a rough sketch of this vicinity to show the solution.
(Note.—The location selected for this situation should be one where
there is something that will test the tactical knowledge of the
student. To base it otherwise would be of little value.)
“We will allow a few minutes for the solution of this part of the
problem, during which time you should look over the ground and decide
upon the disposition of your patrol, just where each man will be at this
particular moment.”
When the members of the class have completed this solution they will be
collected and discussed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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