_The Director_: “Before going into the details of this situation, I
desire to say a few words about the conduct of the operations of a
patrol. It is impossible to lay down any hard and fast rule for the
conduct of a patrol. Each situation will have to be worked out by
itself. Each solution will vary with the nature of the country over
which you are operating and what the enemy does. A few general
principles only may be enunciated.
“The patrol leader, as he advances toward his objective, will mentally
make note of various intermediate objectives to serve as stepping stones
for his further advance. He can never be certain that he will not
encounter the enemy, and must be prepared at all times for such an
event.
“If the patrol advances in one body, a hostile patrol will allow them to
approach and then ambuscade and capture them. Further, all the members
of the patrol would not be able to see much more than one man. If the
patrol advances in an extended line of skirmishers, capture is rendered
much more difficult, but each man will be acting more or less
independently, and it will be most difficult for the patrol leader to
control the operations.
“A patrol should assume the general formation of a column on the march,
_i. e._, there is an advance guard, a main body, flankers, and a rear
guard. These several elements may be represented by only one man, but
the principle is exactly the same. The advance man is necessary to give
warning of the approach of the enemy. The flankers are necessary to
watch toward the flanks and prevent the enemy from ambuscading the
patrol or working around its rear unobserved and cutting off its line of
retreat. The main body is necessary to back up the advance man and
protect him. The rear man is the “get-away man,” so that in case the
patrol is surprised by the enemy, at least one man will have a good
chance to escape and carry the news back to the support commander. You
must always remember that a patrol that goes out and does not return, or
is not heard from within a reasonable time, is the cause for a great
deal of uneasiness and anxiety back at the outpost line.
“Some authorities advocate that the patrol commander march as the
advance man of the patrol. This is not believed to be good tactics. He
should be centrally located so that he will be able to control the
operations of the patrol. The patrol leader has been selected for this
particular line of work. The officer who sent him out is depending on
him to carry out the mission upon which he has been sent and to get
information back. He should not, therefore, needlessly make himself a
target for the enemy marksman who may be lying in concealment at the
turn of a road or trail. If he is the leading man he will be so busily
occupied with the task of observation, that he will have little time
available for conducting the operations of the other members of the
patrol. Furthermore, if anything happens at the front that needs his
attention, he can go there in a very short space of time.
“When a small patrol is advancing along a road which is more or less
winding and has brush and trees along the side, it is believed that the
Boni point formation will usually meet the requirements. In this
formation the leading man walks along one side of the road, close up to
the brush. The next man follows him at a distance of about 25 yards on
the opposite side of the road. The remaining men follow at varying
distances on alternate sides of the road. The rear or get-away man
should march at least 75 yards in rear of his next preceding man.
Flankers are sent out when necessary and where it is possible to do so.
“You will be surprised to see how admirably this formation will meet the
situation under the conditions stated. The next time you are out on a
winding road through the woods, step over to one side and observe to the
front. Then go to the other side and repeat the operation. You will find
that from one side your view will be very much restricted, while from
the opposite side it will be much more extended. One trial will convince
you of the suitability of this formation.”