The Director: “Had you thought of a formation in which the whole platoon is kept intact as one body with only a point of one squad out in front?”
Lieutenant Williams: “Yes, sir. I had considered that possible formation and abandoned the idea because we can cover more road space with the formation that I have adopted and the more road space the flank guard can cover without undue dispersion the more of the column of the main body it covers and protects.”
The Director: “All right. Now let us assume that we adopt your formation of an advance party with a squad as point and the second section as a support. What is the formation of your point, Captain Hastings?”
Captain Hastings: “It would be in the ‘Boni Point’ formation, the men marching on alternate sides of the road with a distance of about 20 yards between them.”
The Director: “I think that formation would be just right for this occasion. What is the next element of the flank guard?”
Captain Hastings: “The connecting files, sir.”
The Director: “How many of them?”
Captain Hastings: “I would have two at least.”
The Director: “Wouldn’t one man be sufficient as a connecting file?”
Captain Hastings: “At this particular point one man would, but there are places on this road where one man would not be able to keep up the communication, and to make sure of that being done all the time I would detail two men. The duty is no more arduous than marching with the point or the advance party, and I do not consider that it is any hardship.”