In the meanwhile let the lieutenants:
a) make sure that the men are fully equipped and provided with full allotment of ammunition;
b) appoint and parade connecting files (runners) to await orders.
113.—Distribution of Orders.
The company commander having received his orders from the battalion commander, will then call his subordinates and issue his own orders accordingly, including the formation to be adopted.
114.—Combat patrols.
He will make sure that there are combat patrols on the exposed flank or flanks and to the front and rear if need be.
It is well to have combat patrols detach automatically. It may be understood, once for all, that, without further orders, the first squad will cover in front, the second to the right, the third to the left, the fourth to the rear, whenever needed. Still, the officer in charge should make sure that this arrangement is carried out.
A combat patrol, if not a full advance guard, will thus always precede a unit and be the first to take contact with the enemy.