_The Director_: “Before going further into the problem it is necessary
for every member of the class to have an accurate understanding of the
formation in which the first battalion is advancing. It is necessary for
you to visualize the situation just as it would appear if the operation
were actually taking place.”
The battalion is advancing in attack formation with two companies as
assault companies (Company A is on the right and Company B on the left)
and one company (C) as battalion reserve. The front covered is about 750
yards. The right of Company A is at (indicate). Company C is marching
about the center of the battalion sector and about 500 yards in rear of
the front lines of the assault companies. The 1st battalion, being on
the right of the Blue line has a combat patrol of one squad from the
battalion reserve covering the right flank. This patrol is advancing
about 150 yards to the right and rear of the assault echelon. A
connecting group of two or three men also from the reserve company,
maintains communication with the 2nd battalion on the left. As the
reserve company may be called into action at any moment, these
detachments are taken from the support platoon of the company, the 3rd.
The battalion commander and his staff march between the assault echelon
and the reserve company.
When the battalion was held up by the enemy, information of this fact
was sent back to Lieutenant Colonel X by the commanders of the assault
companies and it was also brought back by the battalion intelligence
scouts who are with the assault companies. On receipt of the information
Lieutenant Colonel X came forward to this point to ascertain the
situation and by a personal reconnaissance, see it for himself.
Accompanying him were his staff officers Bn-2; Bn-3, Captains C and D;
and Lieutenant Z. This is the situation in which we find the battalion
commander at the beginning of this Terrain Exercise. I hope every member
of the class understands this formation and all the details of it. If
there are any doubts about it now is the time to clear them up. If there
are no questions we will proceed.