Infantry training, 1905

by Great Britain. War Office

1. These are of very great importance, as particularly applicable to the vicinity of the battlefield, and should therefore be practised on broken ground. They enable full advantage to be taken of cover afforded by folds in the ground, &c., and admit of rapid extension into lines of skirmishers.

2. One, two, or three lines may be formed, at varying distances and intervals, with a different number of companies in each, if desired.

3. The battalion forms a line, or lines, of company columns, preparatory to advancing to the attack, or when exposed to distant artillery fire. The precision of such movements will depend almost entirely on the clearness and completeness of the explanations and orders given by the commanding officer. The commanding officer will usually assemble the company commanders, and will inform them of the number of lines to be formed, and the relative positions of their companies; he will then issue his instructions and assign an objective. Companies will be moved into their positions on the battalion commanders order MOVE.

This formation may also be carried out on the command LINE OF COMPANY COLUMNS AT —— PACES INTERVAL, or LINES OF COMPANY COLUMNS ON NOS. ——; AT —— PACES INTERVAL, AT —— PACES DISTANCE. In the case of one line, the right companies will move to the right and the left companies to the left of the leading company; in the case of two or more lines, companies will similarly move to the right or left of the named company in front of them. Distances will be usually be obtained by advancing the leading line or lines. In moving into position company column will be formed on the march as soon as space is available S. 67 (4).

4. A company of direction will be named, and an objective pointed out on which the line (or lines) will march.

5. Changes of direction during such movements should be practised, and fire should be opened on some named object.

6. Attention must be paid to the maintenance of direction, interval, and distance, and there must be no increase or decrease of the original frontage assigned to the battalion. In broken ground companies may deviate to one flank or the other to avoid obstacles or to take advantage of cover, and they may change their formations in order to adapt them to the ground; but they must resume their intervals as soon as the ground permits.

7. The duties of the second in command during these movements will be assigned by the commanding officer.

8. The machine guns, band, ammunition carts, &c., will follow in rear of the battalion, unless they receive other orders.

9. The battalion should also be constantly practised in various formations of a similar nature to those described in this section, cautions being extemporised for the purpose.