manual for commanders of infantry platoons. - US Army Combined ...

~1(AL1TUAL FOR COM'MANflERS OF INFA!dNTRY~ PLATOON0S. a57
suipports and· reserves. They may · be establishied froim eisit~ing
paralllels, ·or bje COns1truIcted entirely for ·that purp~ose by branpch~es
fromi the ~approac~h trenches. *Th'1ey may well be located,. near the
reserve ~trenches,· where they can utilize the shelters in thbsOi
t~renches.
They sh-ould avoid ·an excessive division of units; provide easy
m~eans of r·each~ingrthe op~en ground (st~eps) and the apprl"oach:
treniches; be provided with shelter (cove~redltrenches, commacndl
shelt~er, etc.), a walrt~ersupply, and latrines; not attract attention
by an' appealrance dlifferent- fromi thazt of the ·other truenches.
The choice of the locationof thle assemlbly places dlepeudclupon
the r8le of the troops~ that ar1eto oiccupy3 theni. The slo~vness of
thej mlovemlents confinedl to the approach trench, the neces~ity
for decreasing the length of the distance to be covered in exposed
terrain in order to reach the parazllel· of dleparture. Th~ese con-
Sidlerantions govern the choice of location of assembly places.
LEGEND.
Order of- the wuork.-The plan of the works to be constructed
is fixed by th~e commander.. Wuhen it is necessary to rapidtl~j organize
a position; recentlyr cap~tured, the order of importance of
the w-ork is as follows: (1) Preparethe w-orks for flankr fire;
(C2) construct; the firing trenches; (3) construct at the sajme
time thec wire entanglements, the observing stations, the shelters,
and thelatrines:; (4) open commllunicationslasIterally and to the
rear (commenlce the approaches to the front;); (5) compllete
th-e trench~es.
CHAPTl~~~ER. VII.
OBSERV~ATIONS ACSTO %~THE TACTkICAL CHARA~tCTER-
ISTICS OF THfE SEVTERALhPAh'~IVS ANED STAdFF DUTY~.
ARTILLERY.
Artillery acts exclusively by the pow~er of its fire. Its range
p~ermits it to inter~vene directcly not only for the support of troop~s
directlyf in its front, but also in favor of troops adljacenit to i~t, by
oblique and f'lanking fire (concentration of fire).