Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-02
WHEN THE SQUAD is ACTING
ALONE IN EXTENDED ORDER.

The squad in combat drill Is what
might be called a subsidiary first unit.
The squad is not the regulation first
unit-this is the platoon (one-fourth
of Il company roughly ~speaking), as
will be explained later. But within a
platoon, d closer fire control Is often
necessary, and to this the squad organ
ization is adapted. Particularly is this
essential to firing by squads" which
Is, under certain circumstances, the
most effective way in which the fire
can be delivered.
In addition, the squad is n most
| practicable unit for patrol and out
post duty, since it places a small n
flexible body Of men in charge of a
noncommissioned officer for work
which requires discretion and conceal
ment. This is not to say that patrol
or outpost duty is confined to squads,
hut it Is often subdivided finally upon
the squad basis. In any event. the
squad in extended order work OF all
kinds has many occasions to work In
dependently. and 1t is then that the
discipline and n of unity acquired
In close order drill will justify Itself.
MS well as obedience and attention to
the corporal.
When the squad is d%eployed with
other squads, the front and rear rank
men place themselves abreast the cor
poral at half-pace intervals, as we
have seen, but when the squad Is act
ing alone, the skirmish line Is formed
in the same way upon No. = OF the
front rank. No. 2 stands fast In his
place or continues the march, as the
case may be. Meanwhile, the r
poral places himself in front OF the
squad when advancing, and in the real
when halted. When he is In line, the
corporal Is the guide; when he IL not
in line-that is. when he advances In
front of the squad as its commander
No, 2 front rank Is the guide OF the
line, and 1t Is the duty Of No. 2 front
frank to follow in the tracks Of the cor
moral, with the rest Of the squad guild
ing OF No. 2.
The command for assembling the
squad may be given either us ASSEM-
bly. MARCH," or by the cOrporars
waving his arm In short circles above
his head. At the command, the men
move toward the corporal, wherever nc
has taken his station as II base. and
form upon him, In their proper places
in close order. II the corporal contin'
ucs to advance, they move In double
time, form, and follow him. The as
sc,nbly, while marching to the rear, IL
: not executed.
|, It will be seen that In deploying as
: skirmishers, the precise form Of move
!. mcnt prescribed for close order drill
e is not adhered to. A man has more
i ease and latitude In carrying out tho
movements. This Is to make speed
While men In close order are com
helled to turn corners sharply ant
maneuver, 80 to speak, In angles. In ex
G tended order It would be inefficient fol
n man to turn on IN angle to reach hi!
Il position when he could make n straigh
cut for It.
a Yet this In no sense nulllfies tn
need for precision In close order drlll
u without It troops would become hope
:. lcssly tangled up, and without It als'
q there would not be the uniformity o
n movement which would cause member
Ie Of a sound in extended order instinct
d lively to choose the most dlscct-nn'
It in TINT sense, precise-short.cuts In tn
A. least possible time. In fact, without tn
close order, they could mike no shor
cuts at oil, for they would not kno,
n. where to turn In order to fnd the
rinces In the squad.