The Director: “I think you have sized up the formation pretty well. I think if any member of this class is ever in command of an assault company of a support battalion in action he will remember this phase of this Terrain Exercise and when he halts for any length of time he will get the company into a line of skirmishers and have them dig in. You may say ‘why dig in for such a short halt.’ I answer that you will have no trouble getting the men to dig fox holes after they have been in action a few times. They soon learn the value of them and automatically do it.”
Solution
The Director: “Captain Hastings, let us assume that you are Captain B. How do you size up the situation?”
Captain Hastings: “My immediate mission is to get my company ready to march at the appointed hour.
“I have little information of the detailed dispositions of the enemy that is opposing our 1st battalion but my reconnaissance officer whom I will send forward right away will secure it and have it available for me before the orders for the actual relief are to be issued.
“We are to relieve the right (left) assault company of the 1st battalion which is now in close contact with the enemy along the front lines. Due to casualties and the progress of the day’s action it is probable that each of his assault platoons have both waves in the firing line and it is highly probable that some or all of the support platoon has also been absorbed in the firing line. It is necessary for Company B in making the relief to get the assault troops in the proper formation to make the attack tomorrow morning.
“The present formation of the company is suitable for the purpose and will need no change. We can march straight to the front in our present general formation. We will change from a line of skirmishers into a line of squad columns for each of the waves of the 1st and 2nd platoons and the 3rd platoon will march in a column of section columns with the second section staggered to the right of the first.”
(Note.—Discuss features of the terrain as they actually exist.)
The Director: “Your decision will be to march to the front in the general formation you are now in.”
Captain Hastings: “Yes, sir.”