Night Operations for Infantry / Compiled for the Use of Company Officers

by C. T. Dawkins

The first brunt of a night attack necessarily falls on the outposts, and unless they receive timely warning they will undoubtedly be overwhelmed; it is, therefore, a matter of supreme importance that the training in outpost duty should be thoroughly carried out.

In our Army outpost duty was for many years almost entirely neglected, and even now it is not treated with sufficient seriousness. At manœuvres, and at field operations lasting more than one day, an armistice is often declared at night, and it is but rarely that the infantry are practised in outpost duty under service conditions. It is true that this duty, if strictly performed is extremely harassing, but in view of its importance it is, I think, unwise to allow any opportunity of gaining experience to pass.

In carrying out the training of a company in outpost duty the strictest discipline should always be maintained, no irregularity, however trifling, should ever be passed over, and all duties carried out with great care and thoroughness.

With the weak companies which we often have it is sometimes difficult to find sufficient men for the complete service of outposts, and when this is so the position of piquets, and even of groups, may be marked with flags. The one service which should never be dispensed with is that of the reconnoitring patrols. It should be impressed upon all that the protection afforded by groups and piquets, unless supplemented by a regular system of reconnoitring patrols, is altogether inadequate, and every commander should invariably satisfy himself that the proportion of men told off for patrol duty is sufficient to carry out the work properly.

Position of Piquets at Night.

Unless a piquet is protected by obstacles, its best means of defence at night lies in a resolute counter-attack, and to carry out this a clear space is necessary. The Regulations lay down that the first duty of outposts is to strengthen their position as much as possible, and in open country the usual course followed is to entrench the groups and piquets.

Now a shelter trench affords fair protection in the day time and may be useful at night if the ground immediately in front of it is illuminated by searchlights, but in the dark it loses a great deal of its value, and it is obviously a very bad place to receive a bayonet charge in. For this reason it is better at night to withdraw the piquets about 30 yards behind the trench; this latter will then form an obstacle likely to break the ranks of an assaulting enemy, and the defenders will have room for the counter-charge.

Readiness for Action.

It cannot be too strongly insisted on that piquets must always be ready for action. The men should sleep with their rifles beside them, in the positions they will occupy in the ranks, and must not be allowed to cover their ears when lying down. Either the commander, or the next in command, together with a proportion of the piquet, must always remain awake, and when the commander lies down he should do so close to the sentry over the piquet.

This readiness for action is often neglected; it is, of course, necessary that officers and men on outpost duty should sleep, but arrangements must be made to ensure that some of the piquet are always alert.