Military Instructors Manual Part 39

THIRD CYCLE.--2 arms. T and U. Right arm in position of C. Letter U actually resembles that letter.

THIRD CYCLE.--2 arms. O to S. One arm always in B position. In letter O, left arm is in B position; in all others, right arm.

FOURTH CYCLE.--2 arms. T and U. Right arm in position of C. Letter U actually resembles that letter.

DOUBLES.--L, U, R, N. These letters are keys to many others and should be promptly learned.

OPPOSITES.--V and K, O and W, Q and Y, S and M, Z and H, X and I, M follows L in cycle and is opposite of S, S follows E in cycle and is opposite of M, K precedes L in cycle and is opposite of V. Figures are first 10 letters of alphabet, preceded by crossing flags overhead.

INSTRUCTING.--This plan of teaching the semaph.o.r.e will be found very helpful, for it helps to reason out the alphabet for the student. By fixing firmly in mind a few things the student can soon reason out the alphabet for himself by a very logical plan.

SECOND STEP.--After the men have been taught the alphabet they should either pair off and one man send to the other, or one man should be selected to send for the entire cla.s.s. At first only letters should be sent until the men have learned the alphabet thoroughly. In this way the key characters of the alphabet can be fixed in mind, as well as their relation to the other letters.

THIRD STEP.--The men should next be paired off and instructed to send simple messages to each other. You should insist that there be no other communication between the men than by means of their flags.

FOURTH STEP.--Proceed to simple qualification tests, four men working in two pairs and the pairs alternating in sending and receiving. One man of first pair should read for his companion to send. On the other end, one man should read and the other copy. The distances should be such as to preclude the possibility of conversation. Forty letters per minute is a fair test; or this system may be followed: Have a good signalman send 10 combinations of 5 letters each to the whole cla.s.s.

The men should read these and write them down, _one combination at a time_. Time limit should be 3 minutes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 13]

WIG WAG.--Time spent: Same as semaph.o.r.e course. The alphabet can be found in any standard signal book, or in the "Manual for Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates." The dots are made to the right of the body, the dashes to the left; interval at the end of a word by dipping the flag once to the front, at the end of a sentence by dipping it twice, and at the end of a message by dipping it three times. The alphabet should be learned first according to the same general plan as in the semaph.o.r.e; _i.e._, the key letters to certain combinations should first be learned. The following grouping of letters may be found helpful:

E I S H; T M O; A U V; N D B; R F L; K C Y; W P J; G Z Q.

The instructor can find many other groupings that will aid him. It should also be pointed out that each number from one to ten consists of five characters, and that each succeeding number follows the previous one according to a regular method.

After the men have studied the alphabet sufficiently, have them send to each other, limiting the work at first to letters only. Then gradually work up to the point where they may send simple messages.

Make them rely upon the flags for communicating during the practice.

Do not permit conversation--separate the men by a considerable distance. In both wig wag and semaph.o.r.e instruction the same plan should be followed as in teaching a foreign language; _i.e._, confine all communication to the medium under study. Qualification tests are similar to those for the semaph.o.r.e, except that less speed can be exacted; 15 characters per minute or 10 combinations of 5 letters each to be received and written down in 5 minutes.

In both the semaph.o.r.e and the wig wag men should be taught the conventional signals used in field work. These can be found in any manual on the subject.

POINTS TO REMEMBER.

The semaph.o.r.e is a quicker means of communication than the wig wag; but the wig wag can be used in a p.r.o.ne position under shelter.

Lanterns can be used at night for semaphoring.

Acetylene lamps can be used at night in place of the wig wag. In this case a short flash represents a dot, a long flash a dash.

A few men in each company should be developed into expert signalers; some men always show apt.i.tude for this sort of thing.

Frequent use should be made of signaling in field work.

Letter Codes.

INFANTRY.

For use with General Service Code or semaph.o.r.e hand flags.

--------------+---------------------------+---------------------------- Letter of If signaled from the rear If signaled from the firing alphabet to the firing line line to the rear --------------+---------------------------+---------------------------- AM Ammunition going forward. Ammunition required.

CCC Charge (mandatory at Am about to charge if all times). no instructions to the contrary.

CF Cease firing Cease firing.

DT Double time or "rush." Double time or "rush."

F Commence firing. FB Fix bayonets. FL Artillery fire is causing us losses. G Move forward. Preparing to move forward.

HHH Halt. K Negative. LT Left. O What is the (R.N., etc.)? What is the (R.N., etc.)?

(Ardois and Interrogatory. Interrogatory.

semaph.o.r.e only). ..--.. What is the (R.N., etc.)? What is the (R.N., etc.)?

(All methods Interrogatory. Interrogatory.

but Ardois and semaph.o.r.e). P Affirmative. Affirmative.

RN Range. Range.

RT Right. Right.

SSS Support going forward. Support needed.

SUF Suspend firing. Suspend firing.

T Target. Target --------------+---------------------------+----------------------------

Arm Signals.

The following arm signals are prescribed. In making signals either arm may be used. Officers who receive signals on the firing line "retreat back" at once to prevent misunderstandings.

FORWARD MARCH.--Carry the hand to the shoulder; straighten and hold the arm horizontally, thrusting it in direction of march. This signal is also used to execute quick time from double time.

HALT.--Carry the hand to the shoulder; thrust the hand upward and hold the arm vertically.

DOUBLE TIME, MARCH.--Carry the hand to the shoulder; rapidly thrust the hand upward the full extent of the arm several times.

SQUADS RIGHT, MARCH.--Raise the arm laterally until horizontal; carry it to a vertical position above the head and swing it several times between the vertical and horizontal positions.

SQUADS LEFT, MARCH.--Raise the arm laterally until horizontal; carry it downward to the side and swing it several times between the downward and horizontal positions.

SQUADS RIGHT ABOUT, MARCH (if in close order) or, TO THE REAR, MARCH (if in skirmish line).--Extend the arm vertically above the head; carry it laterally downward to the side and swing it several times between the vertical and downward positions.

CHANGE DIRECTION OR COLUMN RIGHT (LEFT), MARCH.--The hand on the side toward which the change of direction is to be made is carried across the body to the opposite shoulder, forearm horizontal; then swing in a horizontal plane, arm extended, pointing in the new direction.

As SKIRMISHERS, MARCH.--Raise both arms laterally until horizontal.

As SKIRMISHERS, GUIDE CENTER, MARCH.--Raise both arms laterally until horizontal; swing both simultaneously upward until vertical and return to the horizontal; repeat several times.

As SKIRMISHERS, GUIDE RIGHT (LEFT), MARCH.--Raise both arms laterally until horizontal; hold the arm on the side of the guide steadily in the horizontal position: swing the other upward until vertical and return it to the horizontal; repeat several times.

a.s.sEMBLE, MARCH.--Raise the arm vertically to its full extent and describe horizontal circles.

RANGE, OR CHANGE ELEVATION.--To announce the RANGE, extend the arm, toward the leaders or men for whom the signal is intended, fist closed; by keeping the fist closed battle sight is indicated; by opening and closing the fist, expose thumb and fingers to a number equal to the hundreds of yards; to add 50 yards describe a short horizontal line with forefinger. _To change elevation_, indicate the _amount of increase or decrease_ by fingers as above; point upward to indicate increase and downward to indicate decrease.

WHAT RANGE ARE YOU USING? OR WHAT IS THE RANGE?--Extend the arms toward the person addressed, one hand open, palm to the front, resting on the other hand, fist closed.