The Problem
Situation No. 3:
You., Lieutenant Y., commanding the 2nd platoon have arrived at this point (indicate).
The 1st section is in a line of squad columns 25 yards to the front; the 2nd section is in a line of squad columns 25 yards in rear of you. For some minutes enemy shells have been falling in the area which is occupied by one of our batteries at the rate of about 4 per minute. At this moment the fire increased materially. The men have left the guns temporarily.
Required:
What do you do?
Procedure
The Director distributes the sheets containing Situation No. 3 and points out to the class the extent of the shelled area. It should be in the direct line of march of the 2nd platoon.
Solution
The Director: “Captain Hall, how do you size up the immediate situation?”
Captain Hall: “Our original mission has not changed. We must continue the march to the front regardless of what the enemy does. The 2nd battalion must be relieved tonight and our battalion must make the relief. We cannot stand here and wait for the enemy’s fire to let up. It is obvious that we cannot go through the shelled area without ruinous losses. The only thing left for us to do is to go around it.”
The Director: “Those are the points I wanted to bring out. The question before us is: How are we going to get around the shelled area? What have you to suggest, Lieutenant Barry?”
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.
The Director: “It is considered that this is as far forward as it is reasonably safe to go. Lieutenant Y has halted the platoon and the section leaders have reported to him for orders. Now I want each member of the class to consider himself being Lieutenant Y and to write out on your pads the exact words that Lieutenant Y will say to the section leaders. Then follow this with the contents of the verbal message that you will send by runner to the battery commander.”
The necessary time is allowed for this. When the solutions are completed the Director will have one or more members of the class read aloud what they have written. The solutions are discussed and commented upon.
The Director will then distribute to the class the mimeograph slips containing the orders of Lieutenant Y and a few minutes are allowed for the members of the class to compare them with their work.
The order of Lieutenant Y will be as follows:
“The enemy is shelling the battery in our immediate front. There is no further information of our own troops.
“This platoon will go around the shelled area.
“The 1st section will go around to the —— (right) (left) side towards the rest of the battalion.
“The 2nd section will go around to the —— (left) (right) side towards the directing line.
“On arriving at the other side of the shelled area the platoon will again take up the same formation that it is in now.
“I will go in rear of the 1st platoon.”
The following message will be sent to the battery commander:
“Second Platoon Company B —— Infantry is going around your battery position to the right and left. Will deploy again on the other side of the shelled area.”
Approach March and Deployment Card No. 3
Director’s Key
1. Conduct class to area over which the 2nd platoon is marching.
2. Formation of 2nd platoon. Column of sections in line of squad columns. Locate each element on the ground. Location of platoon commander.
3. Distribute Situation No. 3. Read and explain.
4. Estimate of Situation; mission; action of enemy; decision to go around shelled area, on both sides. Base section to keep in contact with rest of battalion. Message to the battery commander.
5. Conduct class to safe edge of shelled area. Write out orders and message of platoon commander.
6. Distribute solution. Discuss same. Allow time to compare with work of class.
Procedure
The Class will now be conducted up to the place where the company commanders have been ordered to meet the battalion commander to receive orders for the relief of the 2nd battalion.
The Director: “This is the place where Major A directed the Company Commanders to rendezvous to receive the final orders for the relief of the 1st battalion. We assume that the troops have been halted along the line —— (indicate) where they have taken advantage of such cover as is available and are preparing individual cover where none is available.”
The Director will now distribute the sheets containing Situation No. 4.