Tactics and duties for trench fighting

by Georges Etienne Bertrand; Oscar N. Solbert

Platoon Movements

1.

1. The 1st Section (Grenadier Section) contains 15 rifle grenadiers (including the section sergeant) and 7 hand grenadiers. When in column of squads, the rifle grenadiers march as a squad, in rear of the hand grenadiers. The 1st Section constitutes 3 squads, each having the No. 3 in the rear rank as a blank file. The Section Sergeant marches abreast of the rear rank of the 2nd squad of his section. Line is formed by executing squads right or left.

2. The 2nd Section (Riflemen Section) contains 10 privates and 2 corporals. One corporal has charge of 7 men, the other of 3 men. When in column of squads, the section forms one complete squad and the front rank of another. Corporals are number four. To form line at the command “Squads left (right),” the complete squad executes “Squad left”; of the half squad the Nos. 3 and 4 execute “Twos left”; the Nos. 1 and 2 likewise execute “Twos left,” thus placing themselves in rear of Nos. 3 and 4. To form column from line at the command “Squads right,” the Nos. 3 and 4 of the incomplete squad move forward two paces, execute “Twos right,” and place themselves in rear of Nos. 3 and 4 of the preceding squad; Nos. 1 and 2 move forward two paces, execute “Twos right,” and place themselves in rear of Nos. 1 and 2 of the preceding squad.

3. The personnel, numbers and movements of the 3rd Section are identical with those of the 2nd.

4. The 4th Section (Automatic Rifle Section) contains 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, and 9 privates (total of 11). One complete squad is formed and 2 privates are left over who march in rear of Nos. 1 and 4 of the squad. The corporal is No. 4 of the front rank. No. 3, front and rear rank, are the gunners. The sergeant marches abreast of the rear rank of the squad in the line of file-closers; when line is formed, the two men left over form one additional file on the left (right) of their sections. In forming for attack formation, the No. 4 of the two men left over attaches himself to the front rank gun crew and goes with them; the No. 1, to the rear rank gun crew. The sergeant remains with his gun crew if the guns are separated, or assumes charge of both when together.

5. If the training company contains more men than are necessary to fill the platoons as indicated above, such additional men will be carried as riflemen and attached to the second and third sections of the platoons.

II

1. To form line of section columns from line.

The left file of each section moves straight to the front, followed by the file next on its right, and this in turn by the other files of the section. The section sergeants of the 1st and 4th sections place themselves at the head of their respective sections.