The Director will read the situation aloud, make such explanations as
may be necessary and point out the area occupied by Company B. One or
more members of the class may be called upon to state his understanding
of the situation.
_The Director_: “Lieutenant Williams, what do you understand to be the
formation of Company B at this moment?”
_Lieutenant Williams_: “I would say that the company would be in
approach march formation. There would be two platoons, let us say the
1st and 2nd, in the assault echelon and one, the 3rd, in the support
echelon. All three of the platoons would at this time be deployed in two
waves, a section of three squads in each wave. I think each section
would be deployed in a line of skirmishers while at a halt. The company
headquarters would be here, about midway between the assault echelon and
the support echelon.”
(Note.—Lieutenant Williams will point out the location of the
various elements of the Company on the ground.)
_The Director_: “Why do you think the Company would be deployed in a
line of skirmishers at this time?”
_Lieutenant Williams_: “When the company halts the men will want to take
advantage of existing cover. If there is little cover available, as in
this case, each man will dig himself in—he will dig a ‘fox hole’ big
enough to give him some cover. Shell holes will be improved along their
forward lips to give cover and if large ones are available as much as a
half squad may occupy one of them. Another reason for the support
battalion deploying into a line of skirmishers when it halts for any
length is this: If the enemy should make a counter-attack and break
through our assault battalion, and the companies of our support
battalion are ‘dug in’ in a line of skirmishers they are in position to
meet him without any change in the formation. Everything is all set and
ready to receive the counter-attack.”
_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.”