_The Director_: “In the situation just completed we have considered the
employment of machine guns from the point of view of the commander who
has the responsibility for the coordination of the rifle companies and
the machine gun company and for the application of fire power to save
man-power wherever it is practicable. In the next situation we shall
take up the methods of applying this fire power to support the rifle
companies. These are technical questions entirely within the province of
the machine gun officer. In the formation the battalion commander
designates the position of the machine gun company with reference to the
rifle companies; the machine gun company commander determines the
formation within his company. Ordinarily the company commander will
determine whether the guns will go forward on carts and when it will be
necessary to abandon the carts. The firing position may be designated by
the battalion commander, or it may be left to the selection of the
machine gun company commander. The manner of occupation of the position
is decided upon by the machine gun officer. The class of fire to be
delivered is a question for the decision of machine gun officers or
non-commissioned officers. The situation may be such as to require the
sections or platoons to employ different classes of fire. The
concentration of the fire of his platoons is a function of the machine
gun company commander. In the absence of orders from the battalion
commander, the company commander will determine whether the fire of the
company will be distributed over the front of the whole battalion or
whether it will be concentrated upon a portion of the front. The method
of advance from one firing position to another will be determined by the
company or platoon commander. Where the company is employed as a whole
the advance may be by platoon. As a rule, however, the platoons will
advance by alternate sections so that a rifle company will never be
without support. The duty of maintaining the ammunition supply from the
battalion ammunition point forward to the guns devolves upon the machine
gun captain. The machine gun company is responsible for communication
forward to the assault companies and to the battalion commander.”
[Illustration: MACHINE GUN COMPANY IN ATTACK—ONE FORMATION—OTHERS MAY BE
USED]