sections; that a platoon, so long as it contained two sections of three men each, was not to be amalgamated with any other platoon; and that not more than six men and one non-commissioned officer to each section should be taken into action.
“The fighting efficiency of the section,” says the pamphlet, “is of primary importance, and every endeavour must be made to strengthen the sections, if necessary, by the recall of employed men and men at courses, or even by withdrawing men from the administrative portions of battalion and company headquarters, which must in an emergency be temporarily reduced. After the requirements of the fighting portion for reconstruction have been met (50 other ranks), if the battalion is up to its full establishment, a balance of 208 men will remain for the administrative portion (90) and for reinforcements. This balance will include men undergoing courses of instruction, men on leave and in rest camps, men sick but not evacuated, and men on army, corps, divisional, or brigade employ. These latter must be reduced to the lowest figure possible, and will in no case exceed 30 men per battalion.”
The order against the amalgamation of platoons applied also to sections, but was not invariably carried out by company commanders. It had become a universal practice to detail six men and one non-commissioned officer to each post. With double sentries this gave each man one hour on and two hours off—anything less than these numbers threw a big strain on the men; and so long as the company commander had sufficient men for an adequate number of sentry posts, he made them up of that number.
The details of a battalion as arranged by this pamphlet are interesting:
A - Fighting position.
B - Administrative position.
C - Reconstruction (not for reinforcement).
D - Supplies for reinforcement.]
| A. | B | C | D | Total. | ||||||
| Off. | O.R. | Off. | O.R. | Off. | O.R. | Off. | O.R. | Off. | O.R. | |
| Battalion Headquarters | 5 | 70 | 2 | 66 | 2 | 8 | — | 27 | 9 | 171 |
| 4 Company Headquarters | 4 | 74 | — | 24 | 4 | 10 | — | — | 8 | 110 |
| Attached from platoons | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 16 Platoon Headquarters | 12 | 38 | — | 4 | 4 | 8 | — | — | 16 | 64 |
| Section commanders acting as platoon sergeants | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| N.C.O.s for reconstruction | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | ||
| 64 sections | — | 448 | — | — | — | 16 | — | 91 | — | 555 |
| Total | 1 | 642 | 2 | 90 | 10 | 50 | — | 118 | 33 | 900 |