Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-30
SELF HELPS for the
NEW SOLDIER
THE PLATOON.

In the preceding articles on the
srhool Of the company. the platoon
has purposely been left out Of consid-
Grafton and the attention confined TO
the squad and company. The reason
xas that the principles upon which
cIaioon movements r executed are
basea on those Of the squad and com
many; for the platoon. consisting of
from two to four squads, is simply
a company on a reduced scale, or II
squad on an enlarged scale. and Is
handled. generally speaking, accord.
incly. Moreover, when the new sol
der, after drill In the school Of the
squad, is first placed in the school of
the company, he Is taught the apIIi-
cation of his squad movements In COM
nany formation, and this supplies the
natural connection between squad and
company evolutions.
The platoon. MS mas been said before,
Is TO the company what the company
is TO the battalion. In a war-strength
company there r four platoons, and
In either q peace or war strength bat
TALON there are four companies. It
is therefore apparent that such move.
ments as Company right (left),"
which are for the purpose Of throwing
a column of companies into line of the
battalion, are simulated with "Platoons
right Geft)." by turning the platoons
on a fixed pivot into a line OF the com.
pany.
As pointed out in connection with
Company right Ocft)." the movement
Is the salne in principle rs "Squad
right tleft)"; but since q platoon con,
sists Of two, three or four squads 1--WE
shall assume hereafter that the n!a-
t0on Is ut the war strength of four
squads, or 30 nen), In such points as
the rules vary between squad and com
pany right" the platoon follows the
rules for the company.
The eason for the subdivision Of the
company into four platoons, instead of
two, us formerly, is that modern battle
conditions have demonstrated that
from twenty to thirty rifles are as
many as can be effectively controlled
by one leader. The platoon Is there
fore the fire unit, as we shall see when
we take up extended-order drill for the
company.
The platoons are commanded rs fol
COWS: The platoon on the right of the
line, by the first lieutenant; the pia-
toon at the left Of the line. by the
second lieutenant; the p!atoon Al
right center, by the first sergeant, and
the platoon Mt left center, by the ser
gcant next in rank.
Each platoon has a sergeant for
guide, and the. file closers are dtstrib-
uted according to their posts behind
the line Of the company. The musi'
clans march as file closers with the
first platoon.
The n~latoons are numbered consecu.
lively from right to left, and these des'
ignations do not change. Since the
platoon is the fire unit, its usefulness
is most apparent in extended order
hut 1t Is also frequently employed In
marches, on the parade ground, or iT
the armory. In parades through th'
streets of a city Il company front o.
81 men would generally be impossible
also, a company front Of 81. or tive
p%lntoons, is frequently too wide. The
column Of platoons formation. there
fore, of a war strength company would
give a front 16 men wide, and this
would accommodate itself to street:
which were too narrow for the two
platoon front.
Nevertheless, in garrison or ceremo
MES, the strength Of platoons may, !
desirable, exceed four squads. That Is
under such circumstances, the com
pany might be divided into two pla
toons of eight squads each.