_The Director_: “Lieutenant Wallace, we have now to consider the orders
and instructions that Major A would issue to his assembled Company
commanders. What is the first thing you would put into the Major’s
order?”
_Lieutenant Wallace_: “The Major has been out to the front and made a
personal reconnaissance as far as practicable. He has interviewed the
Commander of the 2nd battalion and the officers of his staff who have
detailed information as to the situation. He ought to have pretty
definite information of just how the different elements of the 2nd
battalion are disposed. He should give his Company Commanders all of
this information in the first paragraph of the order. We note that this
information is all contained in Situation No. 3.”
_The Director_: “What would you include in the next paragraph of the
order, Lieutenant Ralston?”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “My plan, to the effect that our battalion is to
relieve the 2nd battalion.”
_Captain Harvey_: “But we are going to do more than that. We are going
to make the attack tomorrow morning. It seems to me that the Major would
include in the order all the instructions he wants to give the Company
Commanders not only for the relief, but for the attack also. What do you
think about that, sir?”
_The Director_: “The Major would certainly not let his Company
Commanders get away without giving them all the instructions possible
regarding the part they are to play in the attack tomorrow morning. But
there are several things that he must get from higher up before he can
complete his plans for the attack and give them to his Company
Commanders. He must know the time the attack is to begin. He must know
about the artillery preparation and the rate of advance of the rolling
barrage. He must have information regarding the cooperation of the
tanks. While he is waiting for this information, which he momentarily
expects, he will go ahead and issue his orders for the relief. Then if
the other essential information is not at hand by the time the Company
Commanders must join their companies, he will issue as much of the
attack order as possible and leave the rest to go out later. He
certainly will not let his Captains get away until they have all the
instructions it is possible to give them up to the time it is necessary
for them to leave—the arrangements to continue the attack tomorrow
morning.”
_Captain Harvey_: “Those are the points I wanted to know about.”
_The Director_: “Now, Captain Hodges, what is the next part of the
order?”
_Captain Hodges_: “The tactical dispositions. Orders for each element of
the battalion. Designate the relieving unit and the unit to be relieved.
For example: ‘Company A will relieve Company E.’ This same form will
pertain with all the elements of the battalion.”
_The Director_: “Just how much detail would you include? To what extent
would you go in prescribing the formation of the company when the relief
is completed? For instance: Company E has all three platoons in the
assault echelon at this time. Would you want Company A to do the same
and hold out no company supports?”
_Captain Hodges_: “Now, that is quite a point. I had not thought of it.
I might assume that Captain A would take up the proper formation without
my specifying it, but to make sure I believe I would add another
sentence or two and specify the formation. I should say he ought to have
two platoons in the assault echelon and one held out as local support. I
think it would be better to specify that. There would be less chance for
a misunderstanding. I would also give these same instructions to the
Captain of Company B.”
_The Director_: “I think you are right. It will certainly do no harm. In
any event you have no doubt as to what you want done. Now, what about
the machine gun company, Captain James? You will note that there is only
one platoon up on the lines now. The rest of the company is back with
the reserve with their guns covering the approaches and set up for
overhead fire on back areas. Do you want to leave them that way?”
_Captain James_: “No, sir. I think I would need the supporting fire of
all the machine guns in the ‘jump off’ tomorrow morning. I would assign
one platoon to support Company A and the company (less 1 platoon) to
support Company B. I think that would be better. If the attack goes over
with a good gain in ground tomorrow morning the machine guns will not be
able to keep up with it, and the Major will have an opportunity to make
an adjustment of their position in the battalion. I certainly would want
the advantage of their fire in the ‘jump off.’”
_The Director_: “I think you are right. Let us decide on that
disposition.”