Infantry training, 1905

by Great Britain. War Office

(iii) Skirmishers must maintain the general direction in which their section has been ordered to advance; but they may deviate to the right and left in order to take advantage of cover, provided that they resume their intervals before crossing exposed ground, and that when halted they do not crowd so closely on one another as to interfere with the free use of the rifle.

(iv) In order to take advantage of a well-sheltered approach from one position to another, skirmishers may move in file, but only when ordered to do so by the section leaders.

(v) Exposed ground will, if the enemy’s fire is heavy and accurate, be crossed by rushes at the quickest possible pace. Rushes, over open ground, should not exceed eighty or one hundred yards, and should rarely reach this limit. At decisive ranges a rush should not be so long that the enemy has time for aimed fire, and can only be continued whilst the surprise lasts. If cover exists they should be made from one shelter to the next.

Ground which affords slight cover may be crossed by the men running, creeping, or crawling forward by ones or twos, each, if possible, selecting a different course, and starting at different times from different points of the line.

(vi) Either before or during a forward movement each skirmisher should mark out for himself the new position he intends to occupy. This position should be as nearly as possible in a direct line forward, and should be such as not to mask or interfere with the fire of his comrades.

(vii) The fire of a widely extended line is very ineffective. Under such circumstances, therefore, fire should rarely be opened, the advance being covered by the fire of the supporting troops.

(viii) If the distance from cover to cover is too great to be crossed without halting, skirmishers, at the end of the first rush, will throw themselves down in the open, and lie perfectly motionless without firing, until they recover their wind.

(ix) In the final advance against the position, after bayonets have been fixed, the skirmishers will either advance by rushes from cover to cover, or, if possible, in a general line.

(x) The men of a squad, and the squads of a section, must always if possible keep together.

3. When two or more sections are advancing in a general line, and it is assumed to be no longer possible, owing to the intensity of the enemy’s fire, to advance in this formation, the advance will be conducted by alternate rushes. The commander of the section indicated, without rising or exposing himself, will warn the squad of his intention to advance, and will himself lead the way. When the commander halts, the section will at once conform to his movements and reopen fire.