When considering what steps are to be taken for the defence of a post,
large or small, the maxim that the offensive is the best defence must
be ever prominently before the mind.
It follows that the first step, after a site has been selected, the
water supply secured, and the usual measures for security taken,
should be to set apart as many men as possible for offensive purposes,
including reconnaissance. In other words, the strength of the reserve
should be calculated from these premises, having due regard to the
number of nights in bed required by the whole garrison; and the reserve
should not be such men as may be left over after the requirements of
passive defence have been fully satisfied.
The next item should be the selection of a keep or citadel, where
stores and ammunition can be placed, and where hospital, headquarters,
and a central signalling and communicating station can be located.
In this keep may be placed machine or other guns, if available, so
arranged that they can sweep approaches to the post, and also, if
possible, protect with fire the flanks of picquet stations.
It will now be time to allocate, generally, the troops destined for
guard and picquet duty.
These arrangements may be primarily made from the interior of the
post, its safety being the first consideration, though for reasons of
sanitation the more space that can be given to troops and convoys the
better.
Picquets having been roughly allotted, the plan of defence should be
regarded from the enemy's point of view, and the necessary changes
made; and, finally, the bearings of the picquet positions should be
taken from the keep, and routes to them cleared, in case they should
require reinforcement by night.
It should only be necessary to keep picquets at their full strength
in night-time. By day the bulk of the men could fall back into the
interior of the post, an arrangement which would at once facilitate
water and food supply, and would also be advantageous from a sanitary
point of view.
The next duties will be to deal with the general sanitation of the
post, and especially of the rest and convoy camps, to mark out the
latter, and to secure their policing.
As time goes on, the post commandant can arrange for improved
communication between the keep and picquets, as well as throughout the
interior of the enceinte, sign posts being erected and the water supply
enclosed.
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