_Lieutenant Barry_: “In the first place I will have to decide the question as to which side of the shelled area we are to use in getting around it. If the whole platoon goes around one side and the enemy fire shifts in that direction we may get caught in it and lose a lot of men. I think we would reduce our chances of loss by using both sides and having one platoon go around to the right and one to the left.” _The Director_: “Lieutenant Hunt, what do you think of that proposition?” _Lieutenant Hunt_: “I think it is all right. The question that arises in my mind is that of loss of control by the platoon commander and the difficulties of getting into the proper formation on the other side of the shelled area again.” _The Director_: “When you consider that the platoon commander has a team of two sections each under the charge of a competent leader the difficulties are really not so great as they would at first appear. Let us decide that we are to go around the shelled area on both sides of it, a section on each side. On which side will you have the leading section go, Lieutenant Williams?” _Lieutenant Williams_: “The 1st Section is the base section of the platoon—as such it is the base element of the company and the whole battalion. It is the unit on which the whole battalion is guiding its march. It should therefore go around on the —— side so that the 1st platoon can keep in touch with it and guide on it. When it gets to the other side of the shelled area it can deploy and get its —— element on the directing line again. By employing this method there will be no chance for the 1st platoon losing connection with it. The 2nd section will go around to the ——.” _The Director_: “I think your reasoning is logical and if there are no objections we will accept that method. Now the battery commander of the battery being shelled will want to know what is going on. Captain Hastings, how will you provide for this?” _Captain Hastings_: “I will send a runner to him with a message giving him the necessary information.” _The Director_: “Let us assume that we have arrived at the decision indicated in our discussion. How would you get the orders to the troops?” _Captain Hastings_: “When we get up as far as it is safe to go I will signal the platoon to halt. And then call for the section leaders to report to me. When they get here I will give them the orders necessary for the execution of the maneuver.” Procedure The Class is now conducted forward to the point where it is as far as it is safe to go and still avoid casualties from the enemy shell fire.