_The Director_: “Lieutenant Williams, what is a visiting patrol?”
_Lieutenant Williams_: “It is a patrol consisting of a non-commissioned
officer and two or three men. It is sent out from the support at
intervals during the night to keep up communication between the elements
of the outpost.”
_The Director_: “Captain Hastings, tell us just how the visiting patrol
makes its rounds.”
_Captain Hastings_: “Let us say that the patrol is to start out from our
support No. 2, which is located at this point. The patrol will go out to
the right and touch upon the left outguard of Support No. 1; then pass
along our own line of observation to the right outguard of Support No. 3
and then come back here.”
_The Director_: “Yes, that is the general procedure. The details of how
the patrol is to do all of this is what we are interested in and that is
what will be brought out in this Terrain Exercise. Lieutenant Wallace,
what do you understand to be the specific duties of a visiting patrol?”
_Lieutenant Wallace_: “Included in the duties of visiting patrols may be
enumerated:
“1. They bring back information of incidents that may occur along the
line of observation and form a medium of exchange of information between
the various elements of the outpost.
“2. In a measure, they prevent the unobserved approach of the enemy
between sentinel posts. When the enemy is very active there is constant
patrolling between the observation posts.
“3. They drive off small patrols.
“4. They take charge of detained persons and conduct them back to the
support.”
_The Director_: “That is very good. Now, Lieutenant Ralston, suppose you
were Lieutenant A, commanding Support No. 2. What instructions would you
give regarding your visiting patrols?”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “The visiting patrol is a night institution. There
is little necessity for its employment in the day time, but I would not
wait until dark to give my instructions regarding it. I would give
orders:
“‘There is no further information of the enemy and our own troops.
“‘The second section will furnish the visiting patrols for tonight.
“‘Corporal Black, with the 4th Squad, will conduct the visiting
patrols at 8 and 10 o’clock p. m.
“‘Corporal Canes, with the 5th Squad, will conduct the visiting
patrols at 12 midnight and 2 o’clock a. m.
“‘Corporal Dorr with the 6th Squad, will conduct the visiting
patrols at 4 and 6 o’clock a. m.
“‘Patrol leaders will go over the route of their patrols before
dark.
“‘Messages to support, here.’”
_The Director_: “I think you have covered the necessary points.
“Are there any questions by any member of the class? If so, now is the
time to clear them up.”
* * * * *
=Visiting Patrol= =Card No. 1=
=Director’s Key=