34. Formation of a squad in two ranks.
The squad will now be formed for drill in two ranks. The men will take their places in succession, commencing from the flank on which they are ordered to form, and each occupying a space of 30 inches. Each man of the rear rank will be placed 60 inches from the man in front of him, measuring from heel to heel, and will cover him correctly, the two men thus placed forming a File. The squad will be numbered from right to left; when it consists of an uneven number of men, the third man from the left of the front rank will be a Blank (or incomplete) File, that is, he will have no rear rank man.
If the squad is required to drill with intervals, it will be numbered from the right, and will then receive the command Odd numbers of the front rank two paces forward, even numbers of the rear rank two paces step back—March.
To re-form the squad, on the command Reform Ranks—March, the odd numbers of the front rank will step back two paces, and the even numbers of the rear rank step forward two paces.
35. Dressing.
The front rank will dress as described in S. 25. The rear rank men will continue looking to their front, and will cover and correct their distances, as the men of the front rank take up their dressing.
36. Marching in squad, and in file.
A squad in two ranks will be practised in the marches and variations of step taught in single rank.
Blank File.—A blank file will always be with the leading rank. He will move up into his place on the words About Turn at the halt, or will step out to take his place in the leading rank when the squad is turned about on the march.
Covering and Distance.—While marching in line, the men of the rear rank must accurately preserve their covering and distance.