The Problem
Situation No. 4:
A few minutes after fire was opened by the machine guns, the enemy gave way, and Company —— advanced and disappeared over the ridge at (t) formerly held by the enemy. The left assault company (Company ——) has continued to make progress and is slightly in advance of the right assault company.
Required:
Orders as actually issued by Captain M, commanding the machine gun company.
Explanation
The Director: “The situation is one in which it would be possible for the battalion commander to give orders to the machine gun company, but would be necessary only in case that the company commander was incompetent. The captain of a company must not expect to receive orders from the major at every new phase of the situation. The major is probably eager to get forward to (t) to see for himself what the situation is and has no time to tell Captain M just what he shall do with his company.
“Captain Smith, assuming you are Captain M, what orders would you give to the company?”
Captain Smith: “I would send the following verbal message to the platoon commanders:
“‘Advance your platoon by section to the position at (t).’”
The Director: “If the enemy were still resisting, advancing the platoons by alternate sections would be the normal procedure. However, since the resistance of the enemy has temporarily ceased and he has passed over the ridge where he cannot at present fire on the machine gun company, Captain M has a little more choice in the formation that he will employ in advancing the company. It is perfectly practicable to advance by platoon, and there is some advantage in so doing as it will leave the platoon commanders in direct touch with their whole platoons. The left assault company is slightly in advance of the right, so it would be better to send the left platoon forward to the position at (t) and have the right platoon go forward just as soon as the left platoon has reached (t).
“Captain Jones, what do you think of immediately sending the whole company forward?”
Captain Jones: “It would not be safe. It is too early to know whether the enemy will counter-attack. If he should counter-attack and drive the infantry out of the position at (t), part of the machine guns should be in position to support the infantry. As soon as it appears that the attack of the infantry has succeeded, part of the guns must be sent forward to give the infantry closer support, but some guns must be retained in position until danger of a counter-attack has passed.”
The Director: “Captain Burt, would you give the platoon leaders any additional instructions?”
Captain Burt: “Yes, sir; I would instruct them to replenish their ammunition before sending their ammunition carts forward. They probably would do this any way, but I would play safe and order it. There has not been a long period of firing so that one cart from each section probably would be all that it would be necessary to send to the rear. This would leave plenty of ammunition with the guns and get additional ammunition forward much sooner than if the ammunition carts were permitted to advance without refilling.”
The Director: “Captain Howe, would you give any further instructions to the platoon leaders?”
Captain Howe: “Yes, sir; I would direct them to move forward with the guns on carts. The carts have been placed at the disposal of the platoon leaders so they should employ them without instructions, as there is no danger in so doing. However, the captain usually determines when the guns shall be moved forward by hand, so I think it is safer to caution them to use their carts. There is a great tendency to continue advancing the guns by hand for the rest of the fight when it has once become necessary to dismount them from the carts.”
The Director: “Captain Smith, give the complete messages that should be sent to the platoon leaders to carry out the decisions we have made.”
Captain Smith: “Captain M would send the following verbal messages:
“To the commander of the 2nd platoon:
“‘Move forward at once with guns on carts to the position from which the enemy has just been driven. Replenish ammunition.’
“To commander of 1st platoon:
“‘Replenish your ammunition. Remain in position until 2nd platoon reaches position from which enemy has just been driven and then move forward with guns on carts.’”
The Director: “We have covered the different situations that are likely to occur in an attack with the exception of the opening phases of a prepared attack and the consolidation. The former is most frequently an indirect fire problem and should be treated as a separate exercise. The latter can be handled best as the first phase of a battalion on the defensive.”
Machine Gun Co. Card No. 4
Director’s Key
1. Pass out Situation No. 4. Have members of the class explain their understanding of it.
2. Explain the responsibility of the captain for acting on his own initiative in the absence of orders from the major.
3. Have a member of the class give the orders issued by Captain M.
4. Have members of the class discuss: Different methods of advancing the company. Necessity for retaining some guns in position to meet counter-attack. Replenishment of ammunition. Use of carts.
5. Concluding statement by the Director.