Military Instructors Manual Part 36

13. What is the difference between the attack and the a.s.sault?

_Ans._--In combat where the force is as large or larger than a division, a simultaneous advance against the entire hostile front is out of the question. Attack is made up of a number of local combats.

Some where enemy is engaged with view to driving him out. This is called the a.s.sault. Other parts of attack with fewer troops simply to keep the enemy from coming to the support of those troops of the a.s.saulted lines. The entire advance against the enemy is the attack.

After the firing lines have advanced some distance the weak and the strong points of the enemy's lines are disclosed. The weak points of course are selected.

14. Discuss the manner in which a pursuit should be carried out?

_Ans._--If enemy commences withdrawal before front lines have given way, troops in action push forward until enemy in their front are driven away. Cavalry and horse artillery are thrown against flanks of retreating enemy, or on their front. Purpose to further disorganize the enemy, beat him to bridges, defiles, etc. In meantime reserve is sent into the pursuit, while troops engaged are a.s.sembling to const.i.tute a new reserve. General scheme is to keep in continuous contact with enemy, giving him no chance to reorganize. Boldness necessary.

15. What are the different kinds of defense, and what is the purpose of each?

_Ans._--(a) Pa.s.sive; to retain position for specified time with or without combat, or to prevent enemy from carrying position.

(b) Defense seeking favorable decision; troops forced temporarily to a.s.sume the defensive, with intention of a.s.suming the offensive at first favorable opportunity.

16. What is the purpose of the counter attack?

_Ans._--To win victory, stave off defeat or prevent lines from being entered. It may be launched either at the enemy's strong or weak points depending on conditions. If enemy are beaten off and disorganized at some point, it may be good opportunity to follow up the advantage by counter attack. Also at other points where weakness develops. Counter attack is made at strength of enemy to prevent him from penetrating the defensive position.

17. How should advance position be organized and held?

_Ans._--Force should not be so weak that it can be driven back to main body before it accomplishes its purpose, nor so strong that it will hold out too long, thereby committing the entire force to action in advance line instead of the line selected.

Trenches. What is position in readiness?

Troops placed in readiness for action where it is intended to resist the advance of enemy in immediate vicinity, but knowledge of his movements not yet sufficiently definite to decide upon plan of action.

Preliminary to taking up offensive, or more usually to taking up and occupying defensive position. Hasten deployment when time comes.

18. If it becomes necessary to withdraw troops from action state steps necessary to insure the safety of troops during the withdrawal and retreat.

_Ans._--Last reserves should be used. If none, troops least pressed used to cover withdrawal. Cavalry and artillery used unsparingly.

Depends on the terrain. First covering position well to the rear so as not to suffer demoralization. On flanks of line of retreat. There should also be facilities to withdraw the occupying force. Firing line made as strong as possible, minimum of reserves held. Use M.G. Perhaps successive covering points necessary further to rear before advance of enemy can be checked. When a few miles to the rear, or far enough to free troops from all contact with the enemy, reorganize. Step-by-step opposition useless. Number of covering positions should be reduced to the minimum.

Retreat; trains at once put into march. Other forces at once put into order of march. All roads used, separate roads for divisions.

Effective rear guard from troops whose strength and morale is least impaired.

Divisional cavalry and as much artillery as can effectively be used.

Use artillery at long range to keep the enemy deployed, destroy bridges, etc.

CHAPTER 9.

Feeding Men.

IN CAMP.--You will usually have plenty of food but continual inspecting is necessary to have it properly cared for, prepared and served. The kitchen must be kept clean: company commanders inspect daily and insist on the following:

1. Have cooks and enlisted men come to attention at the command of the first man who sees you approach.

2. Have all refrigerators opened, and put your head in far enough to detect any bad odors.

3. Check the bill of fare and see that food not consumed one day is utilized later--waste bread for bread pudding, for example.

4. See that doors close properly, that windows are screened and roof is tight--allow no flies.

5. Have floors, tables and refrigerators scrubbed daily.

6. Have the ground around the mess shack raked and thoroughly policed. Towels hung out to dry must be so hung as not to fall to the ground. Raked ground does not allow flies to build undisturbed.

7. Taste the coffee and look in the coffee bins.

8. Inspect pans, knives, meat grinder (have latter taken apart for you occasionally).

9. See that the mess sergeant looks after the incinerator properly; that he makes the cooks use what he tells them to. Cooks should not be allowed to help themselves to things; the mess sergeant should weigh out or set out just what is to be used each day.

10. Have the food served hot and in individual portions as far as possible; see that the food is not put on the table too soon.

11. During each month talk with an old soldier, a raw recruit and a non-commissioned officer about the mess to see what the men think of it.

ON THE MARCH.--(1. i.d.r., 669-673.)

If portable kitchens accompany troops, the men should fall in in single file and be helped to food as they pa.s.s by in companies.

FOR INDIVIDUAL COOKING.--Rations issued might be: 1 carton of hard-tack, 1 ration of bacon, 1 potato, 2 tablespoons of rice, 1 heaping tablespoon of coffee, sugar.

Fires for individual cooking are best made out of small dried twigs to produce a hot fire large enough for a group of four men.

There are two methods of cooking with the issue mess-kit.

First Method: Each man cooking for himself. As there are but two cooking utensils, the tin cup and the frying pan, the cooking must be systematized in order to cook four articles on the two utensils. To do this, the rice is first cooked in the tin cup filling the tin cup one-third full of water throwing in the rice. The water is brought to a boil and boiled until the individual grains of rice are soft through. The tin cup is then removed from the fire, the water poured off, and the cup covered with the lid of the mess tin, the rice being allowed to steam. In the meantime, the bacon should be fried in the frying pan, the grease being saved. When the rice is well steamed, it is turned out in the lid of the meat can, then the bacon placed on top of it. The tin cup is washed out and the man is then ready to fry his potato and boil his coffee. The cup is filled two-thirds full of water and the coffee placed in it and boiled until the desired strength is attained. To prevent the coffee from boiling over, a canteen of water should be handy and water thrown in whenever the coffee begins to boil over. When the coffee is strong enough, the addition of cold water will settle the grounds. In the meantime, cut the potatoes very thin and fry them in the bacon grease and the meal is ready: hard-tack, potatoes, rice, bacon and coffee.

Second Method: Squads of four may specialize; one man to collect the frying pans and fry all the bacon, another the potatoes, another the rice and coffee, and the other for collection of wood. Either method may be followed.

Mess-kits should be cleaned immediately after using, sand being used for scouring. Mess-kits must be cleaned thoroughly.

IN THE TRENCHES.--Usually rations and stores will be carried up to the trenches by the supports and the reserves. If this is not possible and it becomes necessary that men from the front line trenches be employed, not more than 10 per cent of the men in the firing line are to be away from the trenches at the same time.

RATIONS AND COOKING:

(a) Ration parties from the support and reserve trenches will be made up in complete units, _i.e._, platoons or companies.

(b) The company mess sergeant will accompany the ration parties for his company and will report his arrival to the company commander.

(c) Great care is to be taken that ration and carrying parties make as little noise as possible.

(d) Cooking if possible will be done behind the front line trenches, and should be concentrated by sections or companies. Steps must be taken to insure that as little smoke as possible is made by the cook's fires.

(e) Waste in any form will be discouraged.

(f) Arrangements should be made to insure that soup or some hot drink be available for the men between midnight and 7 a.m.

Each company commander must see that timely requisitions for rations are made and to have no delays at meal times. Food should be brought up in tin boilers about the size of wash boilers so that two men can handle one of them easily without a relief. In front line, men send mess kit relayed from hand to hand to these boilers at stations in each platoon or section and they are relayed back. Sometimes men in the front line are relieved for a few minutes. Always carry 24 hours rations.