Notes on Training for Rifle Fire in Trench Warfare

by Army War College

(a) Those that stand out so plainly that there can be no possibility of doubt as the target meant.

(b) Those that are plainly visible, but are liable to be confused with other targets of a similar nature and range.

(c) Those less distinctly visible and more difficult to pick up on account of peculiar background, confusion with other objects, etc.

(d) Targets visible only through field glasses, and that may or may not present the additional difficulties of danger of confusion with other objects.

Case (a) has already been referred to. The system consists in the simple announcement of: 1. The objective. 2. The range.

Ingenious people sometimes combine horizontal and vertical clock systems in designating a target whenever possible to do so, but this is a violation of the rule of simplicity and should never be done unless evidently necessary. The mere fact that it is necessary or desirable to use a reference point does not in all cases require use of both systems, as the reference point may be so evident that no clock coordination is necessary. When such designation is necessary, the horizontal clock face is used in coordinating the reference point and the vertical clock face for locating the subsequent points.

11. Instruction in target description is simple but must be thoroughly understood. An illustration by means of case (d) will cover the entire subject so far as necessary.

(a) Explain to the recruits the use of the horizontal clock system as a means of indicating directions. Inform them that they are, in this system, always at the center of the dial. Call out various hours and require each recruit to extend his arm in the direction he understands is indicated. Explain and correct errors.

Explain the use of the vertical clock system, impressing the recruits with the fact that in this system the reference point is always at the center of dial. Call out an hour and require the recruit to name some object that is located on the hand of the clock at the designated hour. A diagram on paper may be of assistance. Explain and correct errors.

Explain to the recruit that the angle subtended by the width of one finger at arm’s length from the eye and that subtended by the leaf of the rear sight to his rifle at 14 inches from the eye has a chord 50 yards long at 1,000 yards distance. The finger width and the sight leaf thus become known as units, and either may be used in indicating distances laterally.