_The Director_: “There are several ways of disposing the infantry of a
division for combat. I will outline them briefly in order that you may
see what the formations are and the relation that our battalion has to
them.
“The division may be deployed with the two brigades side by side, each
brigade being echeloned in a column of regiments. The leading regiment
of each brigade is in turn echeloned in a column of battalions, one as
assault, one as support and one as local reserve. The second regiment
(less 1 battalion) of each brigade forms the brigade reserve. The
remaining battalion from each of these regiments is held out by the
division commander as a division reserve. In this case the division
commander is driving a two unit team with the units abreast. Under
exceptional circumstances the division may be deployed with the brigades
side by side with all four regiments in line each echeloned in a column
of battalions. This formation uses up a division very rapidly and is
only employed where an exceptionally wide front has been assigned.
“The third method of deployment is that indicated in the problem we have
under consideration. There is an attacking brigade with the regiments
side by side, each regiment echeloned in a column of battalions, one as
attacking, one as support and one as reserve. This is a very good
formation and has many advantages. It is one that was employed by many
of the successful divisions in France. The Reserve brigade is held far
back in order to reduce fatigue and casualties to a minimum, so that
when it is called upon to relieve the attacking brigade it is in the
best of condition and comparatively fresh and rested. In this formation
the division commander drives his team of units in tandem. Now, I want
every member of the class to visualize this formation and get it firmly
fixed in your minds. Let us review it again:
“Our brigade, the 19th is the attacking Brigade. We have our two
regiments abreast. Our regiment occupies the —— half of the sector which
extends right up through here (indicates); the other regiment occupies
the —— half of the sector which extends right along parallel to us along
there (indicating). Our 2nd battalion has been the assault battalion and
has carried the advance forward today. We have been following as support
battalion, and at the end of the day’s work have arrived here. Our 3rd
battalion has been following us at a distance of about 1,000 yards as
the reserve.
“The 1st battalion has gotten as far forward as it possibly can today
and has halted along the ________ (indicate the general line of the
battalion) where it has been ordered to stabilize for the night in order
to permit arrangements to be made for continuing the advance tomorrow
morning. The problem of this Terrain Exercise has to do with those
arrangements, in so far as the Infantry is concerned. We are the support
battalion, it is up to us to relieve the assault battalion tonight and
carry on the fight tomorrow. How are we going to do it?”