Lieutenant Wallace: “Each section must be able to cover the ground to its front and must be so arranged as to mutually support each other. That is, its fire must be able to sweep the front of the adjoining groups.”
The Director: “Lieutenant Ralston, how much front can a platoon cover in this formation?”
Lieutenant Ralston: “In country such as this the platoon can cover about 400 to 500 yards of front with its fire. This does not mean that the platoon occupies such a continuous line. It will actually occupy only a small portion of it. The intervening portion will be covered by its fire. By deploying with the sections abreast of each other we can occupy the sector allotted to the platoon without any difficulty.”
The Director: “What is the extent of the area that a section may organize for close defense, Captain Harvey?”
Captain Harvey: “Ordinarily it should not be more than 75 yards by 75 yards. This 75-yard front actually occupied by the section makes 150 yards for the platoon. The intervening ground of say 150 to 200 yards will be covered by fire.”
Captain Hodges: “I do not see how you arrive at the short distance of 150 to 200 yards interval between sections.”
Captain Harvey: “(Indicating by a diagram on the ground.) Say the right section is 75 yards from the right boundary of the area; then the section covers 75 yards of trenches; the interval to the section on the left is say 150 yards; the left section occupies 75 yards of front and is 75 yards from the left boundary. All of this, as you will see makes a front of about 450 yards covered by the platoon. The interval between sections might well be expanded to 200 yards which would make the platoon cover a front of 500 yards without serious difficulty. This would make 1,000 yards for the company and 2,000 yards for the battalion with two companies on the firing line. I would say this is the maximum front. It would be better to reduce the interval a little and bring the total down to about 800 yards.”
Captain Hodges: “I see the proposition now. I do not think we would have any trouble covering the front allotted to our platoon.”
Procedure
The Director: “The next question is the allotment of sections in the platoon area. In this connection you will have to consider the lay of the ground, and select the location for the section groups, so that the ground to the front may best be defended and so that the groups are able to mutually support each other.