Section 33.—General Remarks on Visual Training.[15]
1. Importance of Visual Training.—Great as is the loss of fire effect due to errors in judging distance and sighting, an even greater amount of ammunition will be expended without good results unless the soldier is trained to discern and select targets at close ranges, and to recognize targets described to him at longer ranges.
2. Even at close range, in the open, service targets consisting of troops are often impossible to discern with the naked eye when motionless if their background harmonizes with their uniform. At all ranges, except short distances within close range, troops in neutral-tinted uniform, adopting formations which allow full use to be made of ground and cover, are usually difficult to discern with the naked eye even when in motion.
3. Finally, targets which consist of ground or its natural features are not easy to recognize unless the eye of the soldier is specially trained for this work, upon which fire effect in battle beyond close range will depend. The eyesight of the soldier must, therefore, be developed in special powers to enable him to discern and recognize the targets of the modern battlefield at all ranges before he is able to fire at them effectively.
4. Scope of Training.—(i) Visual training will include discernment of targets, study and description of ground, recognition of and aiming at targets described by word of mouth, judging distance by eye, and, when possible, observation of the results of fire. Visual training should at first be separated from training in judging distance, but as proficiency is attained both should be combined after men have been instructed in military vocabulary and study of ground, which lays the foundation of instruction in recognition of targets. Training in observation of results of fire by watching the strike of bullets on the ground will be difficult to carry out except on dusty soil.
5. Visual Training on Miniature Ranges.—Directions for training men in the different subjects of instruction mentioned in the above paragraph, including observation of fire, are contained in Chapter X, Sec. 72, para. 4.
Section 34.—Discernment of Targets.
1. Elementary Training.—Training will begin with questions framed to develop a man’s powers of discerning objects, and describing accurately and shortly what he sees. At first any ordinary objects in the vicinity of barracks will be counted, or instruction may be carried out as in the elementary stage of training in observation and memory according to the directions laid down in Sec. 45 of Drill and Field Training of this series.
2. Training on the Ground.—Training will then be carried out on the ground. Exercises should first be carried out in good light, the recruits being allowed to stand and obtain a good field of view. Afterwards exercises should be carried out under all conditions of light, and in cloudy or misty weather, men being trained to discern and describe objects in the prone position in the open or behind cover, when their field of view will be restricted.
3. Visibility of Distinct and Neutral Colours.—For exercises in the field a certain number of dummy targets or fatigue-men will be placed or posted beforehand in various selected positions unknown to the class in the open, or partly behind cover, and against different backgrounds. The targets should include both the distinct bull’s-eye and service figure targets of different colours, and the fatigue-men should be dressed in uniforms of both distinct and neutral tints, with the object of showing the difference in visibility of distinct and neutral colours against the same background. Neutral-tinted targets should also be arranged against various backgrounds to show how background affects visibility, as, for example, the difference in visibility of a khaki uniform against a white wall, a sheet of water, a skyline, dark ploughland, a green field, a brown hedge.