Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Cavalry of the Army Part 19

The sight is set at the elevation indicated. The instructor explains and verifies sight settings.

TO FIRE BY VOLLEY.

=133.= 1. =READY=, 2. =AIM=, 3. =Squad=, 4. =FIRE.=

At the command ready, turn the safety lock to the "ready;" at the command aim, raise the rifle with both hands and support the b.u.t.t firmly against the hollow of the right shoulder, right thumb clasping the stock, barrel horizontal, left elbow well under the rifle, right elbow as high as the shoulder; incline the head slightly forward and a little to the right, cheek against the stock, left eye closed, right eye looking through the notch of the rear sight so as to perceive the object aimed at, second joint of forefinger resting lightly against the front of the trigger and taking up the slack; top of front sight is carefully raised into, and held in, the line of sight.

In aiming kneeling the left elbow rests on the left knee, point of elbow in front of kneecap. In aiming sitting the elbows are supported by the knees.

In aiming lying down raise the rifle with both hands, rest on both elbows and press the b.u.t.t firmly against the right shoulder.

At the command =fire=, press the finger against the trigger; fire without deranging the aim and without lowering or turning the rifle; lower the rifle to the position of load and load. (Figs. 17, 18, 19.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 29, par. 133.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 30, par. 133.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 31, par. 133.]

=134.= To continue the firing: 1. =AIM=, 2. =Squad=, 3. =FIRE.=

Each command is executed as previously explained. Load (from magazine) is executed by drawing back and thrusting home the bolt with the right hand, leaving the safety lock at the "ready."

TO FIRE AT WILL.

=135.= =FIRE AT WILL.=

Each man, independently of the other, comes to the =ready=, aims carefully and deliberately at the aiming point or target, fires, loads, and continues the firing until ordered to =suspend= or =cease firing=.

=136.= To increase (decrease) the rate of fire in progress the Instructor shouts: =FASTER (SLOWER)=.

Men are trained to fire at the rate of about three shots per minute at effective ranges and five or six at close ranges, devoting the minimum of time to loading and the maximum to deliberate aiming. To ill.u.s.trate the necessity for deliberation, and to habituate men to battle conditions, small and comparatively indistinct targets are designated.

TO FIRE BY CLIP.

=137.= =CLIP FIRE.=

Executed in the same manner as fire at will, except that each man, after having exhausted the cartridges then in the rifle, _suspends firing_.

TO SUSPEND FIRING.

=138.= The instructor blows a long blast of the whistle and repeats same, if necessary, or commands: =SUSPEND FIRING=.

Firing stops; rifles are held, loaded, and locked in a position of readiness for instant resumption of firing, sights unchanged. The men continue to observe the target or aiming point, or the place at which the target disappeared, or at which it is expected to reappear.

This whistle signal may be used as a preliminary to cease firing.

TO CEASE FIRING.

=139.= =CEASE FIRING.=

Firing stops; rifles not already there are brought to the position of load, the cut-off turned down if firing from magazine, the cartridge is drawn or the empty sh.e.l.l is ejected, the trigger is pulled, sights are laid down, and the rifle is brought to the order.

=Cease firing= is used for long pauses to prepare for changes of position or to steady the men.

=140.= Commands for suspending or ceasing fire may be given at any time after the preparatory command for firing whether the firing has actually commenced or not.

TARGET DESIGNATION.

=141.= In the training of men in the mechanism of the firing line, they should be practiced in repeating to one another target and aiming point designations and in quickly locating and pointing out a designated target. They should be taught to distinguish, from a p.r.o.ne position, distant objects, particularly troops, both with the naked eye and with field gla.s.ses.

Owing to the invariable custom of attempting to conceal fire trenches, it is necessary to have some ready method of indicating the exact location of an indistinct pit or trench occupied or supposed to be occupied by an enemy in order that effective fire may be opened. The so-called clock system furnishes one of the simplest devices for so doing. Two methods of applying this system are indicated below.

=First method=: That in which an imaginary clock dial is a.s.sumed to be horizontal, its center at the _firing point_ and the center-XII line of the dial perpendicular to the front of the firing line.

To designate a target the commander announces, for example: =Target at 11 o'clock, range 800 yards, a trench.= Each man looks along the center-11 o'clock line of his imaginary dial, estimates the distance (800 yards) along that line, and thereby locates the trench.

In this method it is necessary that the target be visible to the naked eye and that each man be able to estimate distances with fair accuracy.

=Second method=: That in which an imaginary clock dial is a.s.sumed to be vertical, its center being at a prominent, distant point selected by the commander and called the =reference point=.

To designate a target the commander announces, for example: =Reference point, that clump of trees on hill crest.= When the men have located the reference point he announces: =Target at 4 o'clock, 2 finger widths, range 1,000 yards, a gun pit.= By a finger width is meant the distance on the face of the a.s.sumed vertical clock (actually on the landscape) intercepted by the breadth of a man's finger held perpendicularly to his hand and arm, the latter being fully extended in the direction of the reference point.

Each man looks along the center-4 o'clock line of the imaginary (vertical) dial, measures, on this line, a point distant 2 finger-widths from the reference point (the center of the dial), and thus locates the gun pit.

A combination of the two methods may be necessary when, in using the second method, the reference point is not readily identified. Thus, in the case mentioned, it may, for example, be necessary to say: =Reference point at 1 o'clock, clump of trees on hill crest.=

In both methods the sequence of commands laid down should be observed.

Various devices for pointing out indistinct targets may be improvised and used.

THE USE OF COVER.

=142.= The recruit should be given careful instruction in the individual use of cover.

It should be impressed upon him that, in taking advantage of natural cover, he must be able to fire easily and effectively upon the enemy; if advancing on an enemy, he must do so steadily and as rapidly as practicable, taking advantage of any available cover while setting the sights, firing, or advancing.

To teach him to fire easily and effectively, at the same time concealing himself from the view of the enemy, he is practiced in simulated firing in the p.r.o.ne, sitting, kneeling, and crouching positions, from behind hillocks, trees, heaps of earth or rocks, from depressions, gullies, ditches, doorways, or windows. He is taught to fire around the right side of his concealment whenever practicable, or, when this is not practicable, to rise enough to fire over the top of his concealment.

When these details are understood, he is required to select cover with reference to an a.s.sumed enemy and to place himself behind it in proper position for firing.