Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-09-13

eneny's tire, u company advances into
an engagement In close order. whether
for attack or defense. The usual for.
nation, because of its mobility. Ia the
column Of squads. The column Of
squads has the double advantage Of NJ
fOrding = convenient front for pro.
crossing along roads and through com
paratIyely narrow spaces. such as m.
vines, declivlties, or breaks In the trees.
and Of being ut all times convertible
into any other formation desired, The
company Is deployed upon reaching
the zone Of hostile fire for the protec.
ton OF the men, but 1t may then con-
tfnue to advance without returning the
fire. depending upon the immediate cir.
cumstances.
The use Of "a succession OF thin
lines" Is a frequent matter of facili-
tating the advance. This reduces the
losses which would otherwise be in
CURED II the company were deployed
ny greatly diminishing the man.front
offered to the enemy and proportion
ately increasing the intervals between
individuals. Thus, If the enemy knew
that u unit was advancing, and had
reason to believe from the apparent
extent Of It's front that 1t was deployed,
he would probably spread his fire ac-
cordingly.
At all events. If the unit were an
preaching under cover, OF partial cover.
he would be compelled to assume that
1t is deployed if he had indications of
the width of the front, in order tn cover
the whole area with his fire. Mean
while, the company might be advanc-
Ing in columns of single or double file,
with intervals between equal TO the
intervals between the centers Of squads
or p%lat0ons in deployment.
This succession Of thin lines. known
as platoon or squad columns" may
otherwise facilitate the advance by al
lowing for the passage of the com
rany through rough or bushy territory ;
IT also affords Il better opportunity to
take advantage of cover, The two lat
ter factors are perhaps more impor-
tant than the first with the squad, at
tenSt II the advance is against ma
chine guns, for a machine gun. IL it had
Il comparatively unobstructea range,
could render the units entire front I'M
tenahle, whether it were In squad col
unlns, or were advancing in line of
skirmishers. Platoon columns, how.
ever. moving us they do outside the
area of 4 burst of single Shrapnel
tabout % yards) may greatly reduce
the losses when under artillery fire. or
even under machine guns.
The choice of the method Of advance
Is made by the captain, OF by the ma
and will depend upon the conditions at
hand. II it develops that the Geploy.
ment itself is premature, it is generally
found best to assemble the company
and proceed in close order.
Advancing in the fire attack, as We
have already seen, may be accom-
pllshed By sending forward deployet
squads or p~laroons in a series OF
rusles. If this is by squads, at com
mand, the first squad ton the right
follows tits corporal, running at toy
speed to the point indicated hy the
captain, where 1t hats and finds cover
usually fiat on the ground.
When the first fraction Of the com
I,any has thus established itself or
the line. following the command, "Rs
platoon two platoons, squad or foul
mem from the right (left), rush." th'
next fraction Is sent forward by its
platoon leader without further com
mand from the captain until the whole
company is on the line established b!
the first rush.