The front rank men should walk straight to the front and their rear rank men should cover them accurately.
Being at distances, to assemble the squad: 1. Assemble, 2. MARCH.
No. 1 of the front rank stands fast; the other numbers move forward to their proper places in line.
THE OBLIQUE MARCH
For the instruction of recruits, the squad being in column or correctly aligned, the instructor causes the squad to face half right (or half left), points out to the men their relative positions, and explains that these are to be maintained in the oblique march.
1. Right (left) oblique, 2. MARCH.
Each man steps off in a direction 45 degrees to the right of his original front. He preserves his relative position, keeping his shoulders parallel to those of the guide (the man on the right front of the line or column), and so regulates his steps that the ranks remain parallel to their original front.
At the command halt, the men halt faced to the front.
To resume the original direction: 1. Forward, 2. MARCH.
