Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-23
THE COMPANY AND SQUADS
RIGHT"

AS soon us ule company ms IOTIneu
and starts to march in close-order drill,
the new soldier will find himself put
ting into application more and more
Of what he has learned in squad drill.
This win be intelligent application, too,
for he will ROW be able to see what
it is all about. Previously, 1t was nee
essnry for him to learn certain move
ments in the squad as a unit, for it
would be impossible to explain to the
company as Il whole the details OF Il
company movement which is based
upon IL collective squad movement, I'M
less the squad movement itself were
first comprehended. The parts Of the
machine must be perfected separately,
and then. as he has before observed,
he fitted together.
If the company Is marching in line,
and hence forward on Il company front,
probably the first command which the
captain would give is. Squads right
(left) MARCH" The purpose Of this
command would be twofold. In the
first place, it would change the direc-
ton of the march by diverting it
squarely off to the right. In the sec,
ond place, it would form the company
into q column of sq~uads-thut is, four
men abreast, In place of the company
line. This is u far more flexible front,
and one more easily handled in march.
Ing.
Thes movement itself is executed
precisely as in squad right tieft)," as
already described in the school Of The
squad. The new soldier would IL
well to return and refresh his recOl
l~ections of the details.
AS a practical illustration of wha
has taken place following the com
mand squads right" imagine that thu
company Is marching on an armor,
drill floor. 1t Is In line-that Is CON
pany front-and Is advancing up tn
left side of the hall. AS 1t a%pproache
the wall at the end of the drill floor
1t Is necessary for the captain t
change the direction of the company
otherwise. the men would be compelle'
to march head on into the wall. II
wishes to send them along the end o
the room, and in this he now has bu
one choice of direction--to the rish'
So he gives the command, Squad
right" and the line immediatel
swings into a column of squads, mo,
ing straight off to the right.
Assume that, while In column Q
squads and half way across the end O
i. the drill hall, the captain desires I
, return to the company front agail
Z either for the purpose Of halting or
!. order to advance across the drill foe
in the direction opposite to that orig
nally described. He would give tn
command, Squads right" once NOR
and this would execute the movemer
! us required.
. Being in line, at a halt, If the cal
2 tain wishes to throw the company I'M
column of squads, he gives the cor
mand, squads right, MARCH; cor
: pany, HALT" This movement Is ex
t cutcd in the same way as with an !
I dividual squad In line.
0 BY this time-if not before--the ne
l. soldier will have observed that squa'
g In the company IRE US q row of stat
o room doors on a steamboat. The d
}, ference is that they swing us II NOV
:, with a single lever. At one time tn
stand open ut right angles, therel
o forming a column of squads. and
n another time they are closed and for
G the line, or company front. And Il
IS Importance Of the fixed pivot ION viii,
/ squads right (left)" is always exect
k ed) Is to insure that the squads W
It TT as exactly when they swing in al
n out US the hypothetical row Of doors,