4. Method of Instruction.—(i) Instruction should be carried out under practical conditions. If necessary, different forms of cover can be improvised by the use of sandbags, hurdles, boxes, etc. The instructor will give practical illustrations of the correct method of adapting the different firing positions to various forms of cover. He will then order each man to adapt the different firing positions to cover, and criticize faults, or call on other recruits in the class to criticize them.
(ii) When recruits have progressed sufficiently, they should be sent out to the front of the class as fatigue-men to make use of various forms of cover, such as folds of ground, hedges, ditches, walls, trees, isolated bushes, undergrowth, tufts of grass, etc., in advancing towards the class. Besides taking cover, they should go through the loading and aiming motions as though firing at the class.
(iii) The instructor will make use of these object-lessons to point out the advantages and disadvantages of various forms of cover, the correct and incorrect methods of using cover, and the danger of exaggerated or unnecessary movement of the head, arms, or rifle in loading and aiming which tend to betray the position of men or make them easy to mark down. This instruction can be carried out on miniature ranges according to the directions laid down in Chapter X., Sec. 72, para. 3 (iv).
5. Rules for Selecting Cover.—The following general rules will help to guide soldiers in selecting cover. They must remember that in the field the selection of cover may often involve a choice between alternative disadvantages. It may not be possible to avoid bad cover or to find good cover, and it may sometimes be better to use bad cover than to remain in the open. Soldiers, therefore, must be taught in the course of their field training to make the best use of ground and cover under the varying conditions of each tactical situation.
Fig. 35.—Firing over Continuous Cover.
Correct and incorrect prone position for loading and waiting to fire. The unnecessary exposure and movements of the rifle of the man on the right are wrong.
Fig. 36.—Firing over Continuous Cover.
Correct and incorrect prone positions. Unnecessary exposure of man on right.