_The Director_: “The situation is one in which it would be possible for
the battalion commander to give orders to the machine gun company, but
would be necessary only in case that the company commander was
incompetent. The captain of a company must not expect to receive orders
from the major at every new phase of the situation. The major is
probably eager to get forward to (_t_) to see for himself what the
situation is and has no time to tell Captain M just what he shall do
with his company.
“Captain Smith, assuming you are Captain M, what orders would you give
to the company?”
_Captain Smith_: “I would send the following verbal message to the
platoon commanders:
“‘Advance your platoon by section to the position at (_t_).’”
_The Director_: “If the enemy were still resisting, advancing the
platoons by alternate sections would be the normal procedure. However,
since the resistance of the enemy has temporarily ceased and he has
passed over the ridge where he cannot at present fire on the machine gun
company, Captain M has a little more choice in the formation that he
will employ in advancing the company. It is perfectly practicable to
advance by platoon, and there is some advantage in so doing as it will
leave the platoon commanders in direct touch with their whole platoons.
The left assault company is slightly in advance of the right, so it
would be better to send the left platoon forward to the position at
(_t_) and have the right platoon go forward just as soon as the left
platoon has reached (_t_).
“Captain Jones, what do you think of immediately sending the whole
company forward?”
_Captain Jones_: “It would not be safe. It is too early to know whether
the enemy will counter-attack. If he should counter-attack and drive the
infantry out of the position at (_t_), part of the machine guns should
be in position to support the infantry. As soon as it appears that the
attack of the infantry has succeeded, part of the guns must be sent
forward to give the infantry closer support, but some guns must be
retained in position until danger of a counter-attack has passed.”
_The Director_: “Captain Burt, would you give the platoon leaders any
additional instructions?”
_Captain Burt_: “Yes, sir; I would instruct them to replenish their
ammunition before sending their ammunition carts forward. They probably
would do this any way, but I would play safe and order it. There has not
been a long period of firing so that one cart from each section probably
would be all that it would be necessary to send to the rear. This would
leave plenty of ammunition with the guns and get additional ammunition
forward much sooner than if the ammunition carts were permitted to
advance without refilling.”
_The Director_: “Captain Howe, would you give any further instructions
to the platoon leaders?”
_Captain Howe_: “Yes, sir; I would direct them to move forward with the
guns on carts. The carts have been placed at the disposal of the platoon
leaders so they should employ them without instructions, as there is no
danger in so doing. However, the captain usually determines when the
guns shall be moved forward by hand, so I think it is safer to caution
them to use their carts. There is a great tendency to continue advancing
the guns by hand for the rest of the fight when it has once become
necessary to dismount them from the carts.”
_The Director_: “Captain Smith, give the complete messages that should
be sent to the platoon leaders to carry out the decisions we have made.”
_Captain Smith_: “Captain M would send the following verbal messages:
“To the commander of the 2nd platoon:
“‘Move forward at once with guns on carts to the position from which
the enemy has just been driven. Replenish ammunition.’
“To commander of 1st platoon:
“‘Replenish your ammunition. Remain in position until 2nd platoon
reaches position from which enemy has just been driven and then move
forward with guns on carts.’”
_The Director_: “We have covered the different situations that are
likely to occur in an attack with the exception of the opening phases of
a prepared attack and the consolidation. The former is most frequently
an indirect fire problem and should be treated as a separate exercise.
The latter can be handled best as the first phase of a battalion on the
defensive.”
* * * * *
=Machine Gun Co.= =Card No. 4=
=Director’s Key=
1. Pass out Situation No. 4. Have members of the class explain their
understanding of it.
2. Explain the responsibility of the captain for acting on his own
initiative in the absence of orders from the major.