Infantry training, 1905

by Great Britain. War Office

FORMATIONS APPLICABLE TO SAVAGE WARFARE.

107. General Rules.

1. The following formations, i.e., line, echelon, and square, are suitable against attacks of ill-armed savages. They will occasionally be practised, but only by troops likely to take part in such warfare.

2. The battalion forms or deploys into line, echelon or square in order to come into action, and these movements must therefore be executed as rapidly as is compatible with steadiness. The main object is to develop a broad front of fire, and enable every man to use his rifle with effect.

3. When a movement is to be executed as rapidly as possible, the commanding officer will order it to be performed at the double.

4. The combination of fire-tactics and drill movements is of the greatest importance in savage warfare, and should be constantly practised; the fire unit will usually be the section.

5. Company commanders will employ whatever description of fire the circumstances may require.

108. A battalion in line.

1. Arrangement of companies.—Each company will be in line, as in Company Drill, the captains will be three paces in front of the centre of their companies; when firing, three paces in rear.

2. Correction of intervals.—After forming into line the intervals will be corrected by the company commanders. The right centre company, or in deployment the first formed company, of the battalion should remain unmoved.

3. A battalion in line moves and dresses by the centre unless otherwise ordered.

4. The battalion in line will be formed up on the same principle as in Plate IX Ceremonial, with the exception that the second in command will be six paces in rear of the centre of the battalion, and the adjutant will accompany the commanding officer.

5. In deployments into line, or in changing position, the second in command will mark the inner flank, and the adjutant the outer flank of the battalion; in deployments outwards the second in command will mark the left, and the adjutant the right flank of the battalion.

109. A quarter column or column deploying into line.

Deployments will be made on the leading company of a battalion.

DEPLOY TO THE LEFT. REMAINDER, FORMFOURS, LEFT, QUICK—MARCH.	1. To a flank.—The company of formation will stand fast.
	The remaining companies will form foursand move by the shortest line to the spotwhere their inner flank will rest. Each willthen move parallel to the alignment, and whenopposite to its place in line will be halted andturned to the right.

2. To both flanks.—The deployment will be made on the principle above described. The command will be DEPLOY OUTWARDS, ONE COMPANY (or TWO, or MORE COMPANIES) TO THE RIGHT, REMAINDER FORM FOURS, OUTWARDS. QUICK—MARCH. The company or companies, next in succession from the front, will move to the named flank.

3. In an oblique direction.—On the battalion commander’s caution, QUARTER (HALF or THREE QUARTERS) RIGHT preceding the caution in 1 or 2, the Company of Formation Will Be Formed on the required alignment by its commander in accordance with the instructions of the commanding officer. The deployment will then be carried out as already described.

4. On the March.—A battalion may be ordered to deploy while advancing towards an intended alignment, on the command as in 1, 2, or 3, the leading company being halted and, if necessary, formed in the required direction by its commander when the remainder have formed fours and turned towards their position in line.

A battalion moving in column or quarter column to a flank in fours may deploy in the direction towards which it is moving. On the caution, FACING RIGHT, DEPLOY, the company on the right will be halted by its commander and turned to its right, the remaining companies will continue to move forward and will deploy into line as in 1. This movement may also be performed in an oblique direction as in 3.

5. To ensure the alignment being kept clear, companies will be formed or halted four paces in rear of it.

110. Marching in line.

THE BATTALION WILL ADVANCE. QUICK—MARCH.	1. On the caution THE BATTALION WILL ADVANCE, the second in command will select points for the left squad commander of the right centre company to march on. The remaining companies will march by their inner flanks.
BATTALION—HALT.

2. Marching with changed ranks.—The second in command, on the words ABOUT TURN, will pass through the ranks in order to superintend the direction, the files opposite him making way by covering the files on their right and left, after turning about.

111. A line changing position, from the halt, on a flank company.

CHANGE POSITION, QUARTER (or HALF) RIGHT. REMAINDER, FORM—FOURS, RIGHT, QUICK—MARCH.

On the caution, No. 1 company will be formed in the required direction as described in S. 66, and the remainder will receive the command FORM—FOURS, &c., on which each company will move direct on the outer flank of the company formed before it. Each company will be ordered by its commander to form up at the halt into the new alignment.

112. A battalion in line forming column or quarter column.

COLUMN OR QUARTER COLUMN ON NO. —. REMAINDER, FORM FOURS, RIGHT (or LEFT, or INWARDS), QUICK—MARCH.

1. All formations of columns from line will be made in rear of the named company on the command COLUMN OR QUARTER COLUMN ON NO. — REMAINDER, FORM FOURS, RIGHT (or LEFT, or INWARDS), QUICK—MARCH, the company of formation will stand fast, the remainder will move by the shortest line to their positions. As each company arrives in its place in column, or quarter column, its commander will give the word, Halt. Right (or Left) Turn. (S. 91 (6)).

2. If it is desired to form at an angle to the alignment, the caution QUARTER (or HALF or THREE-QUARTERS) RIGHT will precede the caution in 1, on which the company will be formed in the required direction by order of its commander, the remainder then receiving the executive command to form fours and turn in the required direction.

3. If it is desired to form by the right, the words BY THE RIGHT should follow the words COLUMN OR QUARTER COLUMN.

113. A line passing obstacles, or moving over broken ground.

A line will pass obstacles by the commander of the company encountering the obstacle forming his company into company column or column of fours. In broken ground, or in line movements of any length the whole battalion may break into fours. The command will be FORM FOURS, RIGHT, COMPANIES LEFT WHEEL, NO. — WILL DIRECT. The squad commanders, if not already there, will change to that flank of the fours which is nearer the company of direction. The second in command will lead the battalion on the directing flank of company of direction.

A line may be reformed on the command ON THE LEFT, FORM COMPANIES, FORWARD, when companies will act as in S. 68.

114. A line forming column to the right or left.

1. COMPANIES, RIGHT FORM, QUICK—MARCH, FORWARD.

Each company will form as in S. 66.

A column forming into line to the right or left.

2. COMPANIES, LEFT FORM, QUICK—MARCH, FORWARD.

Each company will form as in S. 66.

3. The movements in 1 and 2 may also be performed at the halt.

115. A line advancing in column.

ADVANCE IN COLUMN, ON THE RIGHT.REMAINDER, FORM FOURS, RIGHT, QUICK—MARCH.	1. Advancing in column.—This movement willbe performed on a flank company; the namedcompany will advance. The remainder will formfours and step off, and each in succession, assoon as its leading four is in rear of the centreof the preceding company, will be ordered by itscommander to incline to the left, and will againbe ordered to incline to the left when in column.
	2. This movement may be executed on themarch, the words ADVANCE IN being omitted.

116. A quarter column on the march forming line to a flank.

AT THE HALT, LINE TO THE RIGHT.

The commander of the rear company will at once form his company at the halt in the required direction as in S. 66. Each of the other commanders will form his company into line in like manner as it gains its proper interval.

117. Echelon movements, from line, column or quarter column.

In certain circumstances it may be desirable to advance or retire in echelon from any named company or companies. The commanding officer will give instructions as to the number of companies to be formed in echelon, and the distance or distances to be preserved between them; and on his caution ADVANCE (or ABOUT TURN, ADVANCE) IN ECHELON AT — PACES DISTANCE FROM THE RIGHT, or No. — or Nos. — —, the named company or companies will advance by order of their commanders, and the remainder, if necessary, will be moved into their places by the shortest route, and will march by the inner flank.

A battalion in column or quarter column suddenly threatened will be required to develop a maximum fire with the least possible delay; this will be accomplished by forming echelon. On the command ECHELON TO THE RIGHT, REMAINDER FORM FOURS RIGHT, DOUBLE—MARCH, the leading company will stand fast; the remainder will move in echelon direct to a flank, being halted and turned to the front by their commander on reaching their position.

Echelon may also be formed outwards on the command ECHELON OUTWARDS, REMAINDER FORM FOURS OUTWARDS, DOUBLE—MARCH, left or even-numbered companies forming to the left, and right or odd-numbered companies forming to the right, the leading company standing fast.

Echelon may be formed on a centre company on the command ECHELON FROM NO. —, COMPANIES IN FRONT TO THE RIGHT, COMPANIES IN REAR TO THE LEFT, FORM FOURS OUTWARDS, DOUBLE—MARCH.

Line or column will be reformed on the same principles, the caution being LINE ON NO. —, or COLUMN or QUARTER COLUMN ON NO. —, on which the named company if in movement, will be halted.

118. Meeting an attack by cavalry or swordsmen.

When a battalion in line is threatened by cavalry or swordsmen in force, it may sometimes be desirable to dress back the threatened flank and to dress up the unmenaced flank, the battalion commander giving the order BACK, NO. —, UP, NO. —.

119. Formation of Squares.

1. In savage warfare, it may often be necessary to form a square two deep. This can be formed from line on the two centre companies, the companies further to the flanks forming the side faces, and the flank companies the rear face, all, except the companies nearest the two centre companies, moving into position by fours. On the caution ON THE TWO CENTRE COMPANIES FORM—SQUARE, the commanders of the two centre companies will take post for firing. Nos. 3 and 6 will turn about, and at the halt right and left form at the double, and turn about by order of their commanders. The remaining companies, by order of their commanders, will form fours inwards, and the commanders of the two centre companies will order their companies to fix bayonets. Nos. 2, 7 will then be moved at the double to the points where their flanks will rest in square, on the left or right form up at the halt, turn about. Nos. 1 and 8 will halt and turn to the left and right respectively to form the rear face. The company officers and supernumeraries who are outside will pass into the square. Each company as it reaches its position will be ordered to fix bayonets. The company commanders will give orders as to firing, subject to directions from the commanding officer.

If there are an odd number of companies, that next to the right flank company should double inside the square, form column of half-companies, and fix bayonets.

Line may be reformed by reversing the above movements. On the command REFORM—LINE, the company commanders will give the order to unfix bayonets, and form or march their companies on to the original alignment at the double; Nos. 3 and 6 receiving the word Left and Right Form respectively, the remainder forming fours.

2. Square will be formed from column as follows:—On the word FORM—SQUARE, the leading company, if on the march will be halted, and bayonets will be fixed. The remainder will be moved at the double by order of their commanders, and those which are to form the side faces will be formed successively to the right and left, the last company forming the rear face. Each company as it reaches its position will be ordered to fix bayonets. If there is an uneven number of companies in the battalion, the rear company but one will form company column on the march, halt inside the square and fix bayonets.

Column will be reformed by reversing the above movements. On the caution FORM COLUMN, bayonets will be unfixed, and the companies forming the side faces will be turned about by their commanders. The company in rear will then step off at the double by word of its commander, while the commander of the next company will give the word Right—Form, Double—March; the remaining companies will move off in succession. If the number of companies be uneven, the rear company but one, which will turn about with the side faces, will follow the rear company and re-form company on the march. The second in command will mark the point where the flank of the last company of the column will rest, and when the company reaches this point, its commander will order it to halt and turn about. The remaining companies will be halted and turned about at company distance from the company preceding.

3. A square may be moved in any direction, the commanding officer indicating the direction in which the square is to move. On the command THE SQUARE WILL ADVANCE—SLOPE ARMS, SIDE FACES, FORM—FOURS INWARDS the officer or officers commanding the company, or companies, facing in the opposite direction, will turn it, or them, about. The flank to direct should be named before the order QUICK MARCH is given. On the command BATTALION—HALT, the side faces will turn outwards and the company or companies which are to form the rear face will turn about.